Mass Effect: a genius rises
by Jonas Copperwire
Summary: What if Shepherd was more then an engineer? What if he was a genius with vast resources already at his disposal?
1. Chapter 1

Udina: What about Shephard? He grew up in the colonies.

Anderson: He knows how tough it can be out there

Hackett: he lost his entire platoon on Akuze; he could have some serious emotional scars.

Anderson: Shepherd's a survivor.

Hackett: And a brilliant one at that. Not only has he built an extraordinary reputation as a combat engineer, but also holds three PhDs, is working on a fourth, is the on the Executive board of Ariake Technologies and Apex Omni-tools, to list a few, and is the chairman of Synthetic Insights. In addition to negotiating several lucrative contracts for Alliance Command.

Udina: Is that the kind of man we want to protect the galaxy?

Anderson: That's the only kind of man that _can_ protect the galaxy.

Udina: I'll make the call.

**SSV Normandy (SR1) Year: 2183**

Commander Ivan Shephard was enjoying a mug of black Swedish coffee while looking at schematics for the latest AI bluebox through his patented Omni-glasses, when he heard over the Normandy's 1MC that the ship was on final approach to the Arcturus Prime mass relay. He activated his personal VI-controlled tech drone and gave it instructions to activate it's cup holders and to follow him. He filled four thermos with Swedish coffee from his personal supply.

Shephard: _(Thought process 1) Joker: 2 creams, three sugars; Lt. Alenko: black; Capt. Anderson….._

_ (Thought process 2) Geth Armory has recently become more active, need to discuss….._

_ (Thought process 3) Nihilus seems nice. Him tailing me is a tad annoying. Will approach…._

_ (Thought process 4) need to adjust frequency of Omni-goggles to 3478.657 GHz for Milstar…._

_ (Thought process 5)…..condemned by every syllable she utters. By right she should be….. _

Shephard left the XO's quarters with the coffee-carrying drone in tow. He walked up to the CIC towards the pilot station, handing Nav. Pressly a thermos. He stopped when he reached the pilot station. He nodded towards Nihilus who nodded back.

Joker: The board is green. Approach run has begun.

Shephard watched as the Normandy approached the relay.

Joker: Hitting the relay in 3….. 2…. 1….

A stream of energy arced out, making contact with the ship, and then suddenly shooting to their destination.

Shephard: (whispering): The heavens shall declare the glory of the Lord…

Joker: Thrusters…. Check. Navigation… check. Internal emissions sink engaged…

Shephard took one of the thermos off the drone and handed it to Lt. Alenko who took it with a 'thank you sir.'

Joker: … Drift… just under 1500k.

Nihlus: 1500 is good. Your Captain will be pleased.

Nihlus strode off.

Joker: I hate that guy.

Kaiden Alenko: Nihlus gave you a compliment… so you hate him?

Joker: You remember to zip up your jumpsuit on your way out of the bathroom? That's good. I just jumped us halfway across the galaxy and hit the target the size of a pinhead. So that's incredible!

Shephard: I would watch what I say if I were you.

Joker: … and I would do that why?

Shephard: It is because I got your coffee.

Joker: Watching what I say, Aye Sir.

Shephard smiled and slipped the thermos into the pilot station cup holder. Joker picked it up and took a sip.

Joker: Ahhh…. Thank you, sir. Besides, Specters are trouble. I don't like having him on board. Call me paranoid.

Kaiden: Your paranoid. The Council helped fund this project. They have a right to send someone to keep an eye on their investment.

Joker: Yeah, that is the official story. But only an idiot believes the official story.

Shephard: Let's see: We have a Council Spectre on board. The ship is fully staffed on her supposed 'shakedown run.' I can currently think of three possible reasons for this.

Kaiden: May I ask, what those might be, Sir?

Shephard: One, Nihlus might be looking to have the Normandy as his personal ship and we might let him have it as an additional move to push for a human Spectre. Two, We are about to be 'surprised' with war games with our turian allies to determine the effectiveness of our stealth systems. Or three, unknown.

Kaiden: Why unknown?

Shephard: As a scientist, engineer, and officer, I have to account for the unknown; to factor in the possibility that I might be wrong.

Joker: That's one heck of a 'factor.'

Shephard: It comes with the territory of having three PhDs, being on the executive board of two technical companies, being the chairman of a third, and being an Alliance officer.

Kaiden: Commander, I thought it was against regulations for an Alliance officer to have any financial ties or holdings?

Shephard: I requested a waiver from the admiralty board, which they granted to me on the condition that the Alliance takes greater precedence. I convinced them that it would be of a mutually beneficial technological advantage for an Alliance officer to have a hand in galactic research. I got the waiver shortly after that.

Kaiden: And Synthetic Insights and Ariake Technologies agreed to this?

Shephard: Ariake Technologies was reluctant at first but allowed it for a military contract. I only got on the executive board two months ago, after three years. Synthetic Insights was so enthusiastic, that I went from researcher to the executive board in six months. I was pushed to Chairman about a year ago.

Joker: Boy, you must be loaded!

Shephard: Not really. I have channeled 65% into my own R&D projects, 15% into TSP, and 5% is left for personal spending.

Kaiden: What about the other 10%?

Shephard: Tithe.

Anderson: (X1J) _Joker! Status report._

Joker: Just cleared the mass relay, Captain. Stealth systems engaged. Everything looks solid.

Anderson: (X1J) _Good. Find a comm buoy and link us into the network. I want mission reports relayed back to Alliance brass before we reach Eden Prime._

Joker: Aye, aye Captain. Better brace yourself, sir. I think Nihlus is headed your way.

Anderson: (X1J) _He's already here, Lieutenant. Tell Commander Shepherd to meet me in the comm room for a debriefing._

Shephard: I do believe that you have a special effect on the Captain, Joker.

Joker: Yeah, no kidding, sir.

Shephard: Commo, you get that?

Lt. Wilkins: Aye sir, setting us up to Milstar 473.

Shephard walked towards the comm room, thermos laden drone in tow. Stopping to briefly reassure members of the crew that he will get some answers. He entered to find only Nihilus there.

Shephard: Nihlus. I would have brought you something to drink, if I knew what you liked.

Nihlus faced him and gave him the turian equivalent of a smile.

Nihlus: I appreciate the thought commander but what I like to drink is not permitted on military starships.

Shephard: I see. So I gather the Captain will be here shortly?

Nihlus: Yes. I was hoping you would get here first. It will give us a chance to talk.

Shephard: Oh? What about?

Nihlus: I'm interested in this world we're going to – Eden Prime. I've heard it's quite beautiful.

Shephard: Considering they decided to name it after the Biblical Garden of Eden and that I have never been there, I am going to assume the same.

Nihlus: It's said to be serene, tranquil, safe. It has become something of a symbol for your people, hasn't it? Proof that humanity can not only establish colonies across the galaxy, but also protect them. But how safe is it, really?

Shephard: Eden Prime has a full platoon of marines for defense against Pirate raids.

Nihlus: Your people are still newcomers, Shepherd. The galaxy can be a very dangerous place. Is the Alliance truly ready for this?

Shephard: What you say is true, but it is not like the Alliance gallivants around, spraying flowers. We do our level best to stretch our legs without getting them bit off. You have probably noticed that we are a very curious race. So much so, that we often get ourselves into a whole slew of trouble. On the other hand, we have been dealing with trouble since we first started talking to one another. Are we ready for this? Probably not but we are certainly going to give it our best shot.

Nihlus laughed.

Nihlus: You talk like an Asari with the energy of a Salarian with courage and dedication of a turian. I like that. A human who is willing to admit the faults of his race and at the same time you 'damn the torpedoes and full speed ahead.'

The two laughed as Captain Anderson entered. Shephard handed the captain the last thermos before the drone dissipated.

Anderson: While it is nice to see the two of you getting along, I think we should tell the Commander what is really going on.

Nihilus: This mission is far more than a simple shakedown run.

Shephard: Let me guess, a covert pick up on Eden Prime?

Nihlus: How did you guess?

Shephard: Stealth ship, fully-staffed, Spectre, stealth systems-engaged, lack of Alliance or Council comm chatter, no forward communication with Eden Prime, constant communication with the brass, and your uptightness are all indicators.

Nihlus: I'm impressed. You are well-deserving of the title Dr., Commander.

Shephard: Thank you, but what I cannot figure out is who or what we are picking up.

Anderson: a research team on Eden Prime unearthed some kind of beacon. It was Prothean.

Shephard: I see.

Anderson: This is big, Shephard. The last time humanity made a discovery like this, it jumped our technology forward two hundred years. But Eden Prime does not have the facilities to handle something like this. We need to bring the beacon back to the Citadel for proper study.

Nihlus: Obviously this goes beyond mere human interests, Commander. This discovery could affect every species in council space.

Shephard: I humbly request that you please not use the word 'mere' In reference to my race. We are not _all_ stupid. That aside, a joint study of Prothean tech will be a great boost to human reputation.

Anderson: Alliance brass agrees with you. Sharing that beacon will improve relations with the Council. Plus, we need their scientific expertise. They know more about the Protheans than we do.

Nihlus: The beacon's not the only reason I'm here, Shepherd.

Anderson: Nihlus wants to see you in action, Commander. He's here to evaluate you.

Shephard: Ah. So that is why he always seems to be everywhere. I was beginning to suspect you were stalking me.

Nihlus chuckles

Anderson: The Alliance has been pushing for this for a long time. Humanity wants a larger role in shaping interstellar policy. We want more say with the Citadel Council. The Spectres represent the Council's power and authority. If they accept a human into their ranks, it shows how far the Alliance has come.

Nihlus: Not many could have survived what you went through on Akuze. You showed a remarkable will to live – a particularly useful talent. Your ability to juggle the responsibilities that come with being on the executive board of several major companies in addition to being an Alliance officer is a rare form of flexibility that few can manage. That's why I put your name forward as a candidate for the Spectres.

Shephard: I am flattered, and please excuse me for this, but why would a turian want a human in the Spectres?

Nihlus: Not all turians resent humanity. Some of us see the potential of your species. We see what you have to offer to the rest of the galaxy… and to the Spectres. We are an elite group. It's rare to find an individual with the skills we seek. I don't care that your human, Shephard. I only care that you can do the job.

Shephard: Nonetheless, as much as I would like to, the Alliance and the companies of which I am on the board take first priorities.

Anderson: Earth needs this and I am certain that if you do become a Spectre, you will be bumped up a rank and your chain of command will fall primarily under the Council. We're counting on you.

Nihlus: I need to see your skills for myself, Commander. Eden Prime will be the first of several missions together.

Anderson: You'll be in charge of the ground team. Secure the beacon and get it onto the ship ASAP. Nihlus will accompany you to observe the mission.

Shephard: In that case, I am standing by.

Anderson: We should be getting close to Eden—

Joker: (X1J) _Captain! We got a problem._

Anderson: What's wrong, Joker?

Joker: (X1J) _Transmission from Eden Prime, sir. You better see this!_

Anderson: Bring it up on screen.

The screen came to life with chaos. Sounds of battle filled the audio. An alliance marine pushing another to safety. Another alliance officer fills the screen.

Officer: We are under attack! Taking heavy casualties. I repeat: heavy casualties! We can't… argh!... –eed evac! They came out of nowhere. We need—

A shot silenced the officer as the camera jerked upwards to a giant claw-shaped thing with red energy arcing around it. The screen jerks, the transmission feed dies. Shepherd activates his analysis software.

Joker: Everything cuts out after that. No comm traffic at all. Just goes dead. There's nothing.

Anderson: Reverse and hold at 38.5.

The screen flashed back to the hand thing. Anderson and Nihlus stare at it.

Shephard: Commo, Shephard, X1J.

Lt. Wilkins: (X1J) _Commo, go ahead Commander_.

Shephard: Run the transmission through the Synthetic Insights' comm processor and transmit the data to my Omni-glasses.

Lt. Wilkins: (X1J)_ Aye, commander…. Done._

Shepherd examines the results. Anderson and Nihlus look towards the commander.

Anderson: what have you got, Commander?

Shepherd: The ship on the screen matches no known design but I scanned the background noise and found noise associated with plasma weaponry. In addition to that, the scrubbed comm data and revealed the following.

Shepherd activated his Omni-tool which produced a mechanical stuttering sound.

Shepherd: It is a sound that is produced only by the geth.


	2. Chapter 2

Down in the Normandy's Storage bay the ground team readied themselves for their rapidly approaching drop on Eden prime. Nihlus walked in on Shepherd briefing Lt. Alenko and Lt. Jenkins on what he knows.

Shephard: …based upon my preliminary analysis what we are likely facing is the geth.

Kaiden: The geth haven't been seen outside the veil for nearly two hundred years, why are they there now?

Shepherd: First off, the geth may not have been _seen_ outside the veil in nearly two hundred but that does not mean that they have not _ventured _beyond the veil. This is not public knowledge but about a year ago we saw a massive spike in outbound traffic _from_ the veil. As to why they are here, the most obvious would be the beacon but I suspect something else is at play here because only a few had knowledge the beacon was here to begin with. So the geth would not know the beacon was here unless someone told them, they are here as a prelude for an invasion, highly unlikely, or…

Kaiden: Unknown.

Shepherd: Precisely. But what we are facing is, without a shadow of a doubt, the geth. So, take note that geth are known for having strong kinetic barriers but weak platform integrity. In case you didn't bring any, here are some phasic round weapon mods. Keep in mind that geth plasma weaponry will rapidly drain your kinetic barriers, so if you encounter any kind of geth, dive for cover. Unfortunately, any kind of tech that can withstand plasma rounds is still under development, so I can offer very little in the way of protection. However what I did bring is several prototypes for advanced emergency medical VI's built to be installed into combat suits.

Jenkins: Awesome!

Kaiden: Commander, don't prototypes like these, usually have bugs of some kind?

Shephard: All the hardware bugs were worked out three months ago, I have been personally working on the software for six months with regular updates from some of the most skilled surgeons in their respective fields.

Shepherd gestured the two to turn around before installing the new module. He then held up one in Nihlus' direction.

Nihlus: No thanks, commander, while I am confident of your skills as a scientist, I do not think that was made for turians.

Shephard: On the contrary, it was the turian primarch who originally commissioned Synthetic Insights to come up with this in the first place, a year ago. It is scheduled to be released to the turian military in a few weeks with the Alliance following a month after.

Nihlus sighed and turned around and Shephard installed the new VI. Shephard activated his Omni- tool which created a large three-dimensional topography with a flashing dot.

Lt. Jenkins: Hey! I know that area!

Shephard: You do?

Lt. Jenkins: Yeah, I was born and raised on Eden Prime. Before I joined, I used hike all up and down that area. Even with the few new buildings in that area it is pretty much the same.

Shephard: Great! You are going with Nihlus then.

Nihlus: I move faster on my own.

Shephard: Even though we know what we are facing and we have a pretty accurate topographical map, I believe someone who has spent a considerable time in that area would be of considerable value for an engagement of this sort.

Nihlus: You make a convincing argument, commander. Very well, as long as he is willing to do as I say.

Jenkins saluted Nihlus with a wide grin on his face.

Lt. Jenkins: Aye, sir.

Joker: _(1MC) Stealth systems engaged._

Anderson marched out of the elevator.

Joker: _(1MC) Someone was doing some serious digging here, Captain._

Several plates and lenses rotated and unfolded out of Shephards' suit, around his head, and finally locking in place. The helmet resembled some kind of four eyed insect with the outermost eyes looking about rapidly.

Captain Anderson: Your team's the muscle in this operation, Commander. Go in heavy and straight for the dig site.

Kaiden: What about survivors, Captain?

Captain Anderson: Helping survivors is a secondary objective. The beacon's your top priority.

The Normandy's cargo bay door opened as the craft slowed.

Joker: _(1MC) Approaching drop point one._

Shephard: Captain, Jenkins had field experience in the area we are landing in so he will be going with Nihlus to provide topographical advise.

Captain Anderson: Understood. He and Nihlus will scout out ahead. Nihlus will feed you status reports throughout the mission; otherwise, I want radio silence.

Shephard: Aye, Captain.

Captain Anderson: The mission's yours now, Shephard. Good luck.

Joker: _(1MC) Approaching drop point two._

Shephard leaped out of the Normandy followed shortly by Lt. Alenko.

Lt. Alenko: Perimeter secure, commander.

Nihlus: (EFC) _This place got hit hard, Commander. You were right, geth everywhere. Keep your guard up._

Shephard slowly looked about.

Kaiden: What do you see, commander?

Shephard: Everything. There are geth signals permeating the area.

The two moved towards a hill examining a couple of bodies. The incline leveled off to a small rocky area. Shepherd held up his hand, closed fist. He slid a cylinder off his back, a spike extended out of the cylinder. He then promptly stabbed it into the ground at a sharp angle. He sat down and brought up one of his Omni-tools.

Kaiden: What are we wai…

Shephard held up his hand with an open palm. The thumb pulled in.

Pinky pulled in.

Three...

Two…

One…

The exposed end of the cylinder shot off, followed by the sound of two objects hitting the ground. Shephard got up, pulled the stake out of the ground, and walked towards where the two objects landed.

Kaiden: What was that?

Shephard: That was the device that got me hired by Ariake Technologies. It is a new rendition of the 'bouncing betty' German s-mine used in the 1930's. In a similar fashion to mass effect weapons, it utilizes an element zero core to launch a projectile or in that case an overload mine on a timer.

When they got there moments later, Shephard kneeled at the objects.

Kaiden: What are those?

Shepherd: Geth recon drones.

Shephard activated the Omni-tools on both his arms, placed them on both of the drones simultaneously, and brought the Omnis together where an Omni keyboard materialized. Shepherd immediately started typing.

Kaiden: So, how do you know so much about the geth, other than being the chairman for one of the four corporations legally registered to study AI?

Shephard: About a year and a half ago, when I was on Synthetic Insights executive board, I proposed to the board the idea that we should hire quarians for their extraordinary natural talent for information technology. The board agreed. Next thing we know, our labs are flooded with quarians on their pilgrimages bringing their knowledge of the geth with them. …and got it.

The two drones lifted off the ground and just hovered there. Kaiden immediately raised his rifle.

Shephard: Easy lieutenant, they work for us now.

Kaiden lowered his rifle. The party of four proceeded further forward when Shephard suddenly repeated the same evolution, putting five more geth recon drones into his service.

Nihlus:_(EFC) We've got some burned out buildings here, Shephard. A lot of bodies. We're going to check it out. We'll try to meet up with you at the dig site._

They got to a clearing when they saw a figure ran into view. The human alliance marine was being chased by another two recon drones. She threw herself to the ground, rolling onto her back, and firing three shots which destroyed the drones. A human further behind her was having his back pressed against some kind of tripod device by two beings with elongated necks and single glowing eyes. A spike rapidly emerged through the chest of the human, lifting his body off the ground. She got up in time only to notice that the two impaling synthetics were now aiming their guns at her. She leaped up and took cover behind a large bolder, pulling out her assault rifle.

Shephard: When I give the word I want you to give me a biotic throw 5m in the direction of those geth platforms.

Kaiden: Ready and waiting.

Shepherd activated a program and their company of seven recon drones swarmed the two platforms.

Shephard: Now!

Kaiden glowed blue and threw the commander into the air. Shephard activated both his Omni-tools and by the time the two platforms knew what was happening, they were disabled.

Shephard waved both his Omni-tools over the two downed platforms. The female marine approached him putting away her assault rifle.

Ashley Williams: Gunnery Chief Ashley Williams of the 212. You the one in charge here, sir?

Shephard: Have you been injured?

Ashley Williams: A few scrapes and burns. Nothing serious. The others weren't so lucky. Oh man … we were patrolling the perimeter when the attack hit. We tried to get off a distress signal, but they cut off our communications. I've been fighting for my life ever since.

Shephard: If you feel you are up to it, care to join us?

Ashley Williams: Aye, Aye, sir! It's time for payback.

The geth troopers suddenly got up and gathered their weapons. Chief Williams whipped out her assault rifle. Shephard laughed.

Shephard: Easy Chief, I just drafted these two into the Alliance military.

Shephard walked over to the spike. He kneeled next to it, pulling a crystal-like device off his belt and attaching it to the side. The device glowed like an Omni-tool and unfolded dozens of arms that attached themselves to the device.

Ashley Williams: You hacked those geth?

Shephard: No, geth erase all traces of themselves whenever a platform is compromised leaving behind a _Tabula rasa, _which I can fill with whatever I want. In this case a series of experimental 'smart' VIs.

Ashley Williams: Are you Commander Shephard, Commander Ivan Shephard?

Shephard: Pleased to make your acquaintance, Chief.

The device on the spike beeped returning itself to its former status. Shephard detached it.

Ashley Williams: What is that you are holding, sir?

Shephard stood up reattaching the device to his belt.

Shephard: It is a Modular, Analysis, Repair Drone of Electronic Reconnaissance, or Marder for short. It essentially is made for field repair work using a built-in Omni- tool to analyze, repair, scan, or gather samples of technology. In this case, I used it to take hundreds of internal scans and collect several samples from this 'spike.'

Kaiden: What did the scans tell you, commander?

Shephard: While it will take time to analyze this tech fully, what little has been processed reveals something inherently disturbing. The energy employed by this 'spike' is of an entirely different sort then what the geth employ. While I would like to stand here and further analyze this, we have a mission to complete, move out!

The group, which now comprised of three humans, two reclaimed geth platforms, and four of the remaining geth recon drones, readied their weapons and quickly ran towards the dig site. It wasn't but ten seconds later that the commander raised his hand in a silent halt. He signaled the group into cover, while he pulled out a massive pistol. Four hostiles showed up on their Heads-Up-Display. Shephard held up his hand up from cover. His thumb pulled in.

Four…

Three…

Two…

One…

They all burst from cover, ambushing four more geth trooper platforms. The hostiles quickly responded, firing at all the attacking positions. The Alliance-Turned geth concentrated their plasma rifle fire at one target, while Lt. Alenko hit them with several biotic attacks. The Gunnery Chief fired her assault rifle in short accurate bursts. Three geth platforms fell to this fire. Shephard stood up out of cover and quickly walked towards the dig site. He reached the dig site when he suddenly brought up his Omni-tool and slammed it into the chest of a platform in cover. It fell over. The rest of the party stowed their weapons and approached the dig site.

Ashley Williams: This is the dig site. The beacon was right here. It must have been…

Shephard whipped out that massive pistol of his and with one hand, fired. The pistol roared as a massive hole was punched through a geth platform sporting a rocket launcher. Shephard restowed the pistol on his waist

Shephard: …moved? A very astute observation, Gunnery Chief. Knowing that, to where do we proceed?

Ashley Williams: I don't know, sir. But maybe we will find answers at the research camp.

Shephard: Lead the way, Chief. Hopefully, we will find some survivors holed up there.

The group hiked up the spiraling ramp behind the dig site to come to the research camp. Only a couple of the buildings were still intact. The rest were demolished and/or on fire. There were several more of the spikes with their impaled victims on top.

Ashley Williams: Looks like they hit the camp hard.

Kaiden: It's a good place for an ambush. Keep your guard up.

They scanned the area for survivors, when they heard the sound of sheathing metal they turned to see the spikes withdrawing, bringing their victims down with them.

Kaiden: Oh, god! They're still alive!

Shephard: Observe closely, Mr. Alenko. Those things are no longer, by any stretch of the term, 'alive.'

The reanimated bodies slowly moved with glowing blue circuitry.

Ashley Williams: What did those things do to them?

Their skinny bodies arcing energy, 'husks' of their former selves, they slid off their perches. They broke into a charge towards the party. Shephards' pistol roared three times, steam shooting out the sides. The husks exploded.

Shephard placed the pistol back on his waist and quickly walked over to one of the intact lab structures. He activated his Omni-tool and two seconds later the door unlocked to two very alive researchers. Shephards' helmet unsealed and rotated back into his suit.

Dr. Warren: Humans! Thank the Maker!

Dr. Manuel: Hurry! Close the door! Before they come back!

Shephard gestured to Lt. Alenko and Chief Williams, who promptly entered. Shephard shut the door.

Dr. Warren: Thank you. I think we'll be okay now. It looks like everyone's gone.

Ashley: You're Dr. Warren, the one in charge of the excavation. Do you know what happened to the beacon?

Dr. Warren: It was moved to the spaceport this morning. Manuel and I stayed behind to help pack up the camp. When the attacks came, the marines held them off long enough for us to hide. They gave their lives to save us.

Dr. Manuel: No one is saved. The age of humanity is ended. Soon, only ruin and corpses will remain.

Shephard: Are you not being a tad too pessimistic?

Dr. Warren: Manuel has a brilliant mind but he's always been a bit… unstable. Genius and madness are two sides of the same coin.

Shephard: I know that, all too well.

Dr. Manuel: Is it madness to see the future? To see the destruction rushing towards us? To understand there is no escape? No hope? No, I am not mad. For I'm the only sane one left!

Shephard saw Dr. Manuel's shoulders slump. He took a step over to the man and placed a hand on his shoulder, deactivating his Omni-glasses.

Shephard: I have once been where you are now. Lost. Without hope. But know this, no matter whatever it is you are facing, no matter what pain you happen to be feeling, there is always hope.

The Scientist slowly looked into the Commander's eyes. The two stood like that for a minute before Shephard let go, his helmet sliding out of his suit, and, once more, clicked and sealed around his head.

Shephard: is there anything you can tell us about the beacon?

Dr. Warren: It's some kind of data module from a galaxy-wide communications network. Remarkably well-preserved. It could be the greatest scientific discovery of our lifetime! Miraculous new technologies. Groundbreaking medical advances. Who knows what secrets are locked inside?

Shephard: Did you take any scans of the device?

Dr. Warren: Yes. Here take them.

The Scientist typed on her Omni-tool. Shephards' Omni beeped.

Shephard: If we are here then you can be rest assured that the rest of the Alliance will not be far behind us. There is still geth traffic in the area so lock the door and keep the shutters closed, you should be safe for now.

Shephard, Lt. Alenko, and Chief Williams exited the structure, sealing it behind them. They walked briskly through the research camp. They had just left the research camp behind them towards what their maps indicted to be the spaceport when they suddenly heard several shots fired followed quickly by silence.

Shephard: Make haste, those were not geth weapons.

The party broke into a run only to come into an unfamiliar sight. In the distance, angry red energy arced around a cephalopod-shaped hull as it slowly rose into the air.

Kaiden: What is that? Out in the distance?

Ashley: It's a ship. Look at the size of it!

Shephard recognized the craft from the emergency video on the Normandy. He immediately took readings until the craft was out of sight. They quickly regained their composure. They took notice of more geth and husks down in the spaceport.

Shephard: I'll send our remaining recon drones to strafe the platforms. When they poke their heads out to take shots at the drones, hit them with biotics and sniper rounds. The ATGs will cover our flanks from the 'husks.' Execute…..Now!

The three humans rushed to a large rock and took cover. The drones screamed overhead peppering their targets with plasma fire. Lt. Alenko hit the geth with multiple biotic throws. Chief Williams sniper rifle rang out. The ATGs fired at the husks, cutting them down before they even came close to the team. All this paralleled the roar of Shephards' pistol. Within a couple of minutes all the enemy targets were down. They holstered their weapons heading towards the spaceport when Shephard pointed the Chief towards a nearby structure sitting on a hill.

Shephard: Chief, I am picking up heat signatures in that building, would you be so kind as to investigate?

Ashley: Aye, Aye, sir.

The ATGs went with Shephard and the lieutenant, while the remaining two recon drones went with Chief Williams. Shephards' party entered the terminal when they saw two bodies.

Kaiden: Oh, no! It's Jenkins and Nihlus!

Shephard: See to Jenkins, I will see to Nihlus.

The two went to their respective charges.

Shephard: Anything?

Kaiden: No, he's gone, three shots. Two to the chest and one to the head, from what I can make of it. at close range.

Shephard: Nihlus is alive, if just barely.

Kaiden: I guess your emergency medical program saved his life but I guess all the technology in galaxy can't save you from a shot in the head.

Shephard: Jenkins was a soldier and a fine one at that. His exuberance brought life to the Normandy but right now, we need to put that aside and see to those who are still among the living.

Kaiden: Aye, sir.

Shephard: Nihlus is stable for now but the program ran out of medi-gel, so I am going to need to pull some from our reserves. As soon as the program has finished, it will put him into medical stasis.

The group came to alert when the ATGs brought their weapons out, aiming for a pile of crates.

Shephard: I would recommend coming out from behind the crates, unless, of course you prefer we blow up the crates?

Powell: Wait! Don't – Don't shoot! I'm one of you! I'm human.

Shephard: Might I ask what you were doing back there?

Powell: I…I'm sorry. I was hiding. From those creatures. My name's Powell. I saw what happened to those two. The other turian shot them.

Shephard: I know your scared but I need to know what happened.

Powell: The other turian got here first. He was waiting when your friends showed up. Your turian friend called him Saren. I think they knew each other. Your turian friend seemed to relax. He let his guard down but just when Saren pulled a gun on him, the soldier jumped into the line of fire, and Saren killed him. Your turian friend whirled around only to get killed himself. At least that's what I thought until you showed up. I'm just lucky he didn't see me behind the crates.

Shephard: Do you know anything about the Prothean beacon that was brought to the spaceport?

Powell: It's over on the other platform. Probably where that guy Saren was headed. He hopped on the cargo train right after he shot your friends. I knew that beacon was trouble. Everything's gone to hell since we found it. First that damn mother ship showed up. Then the attack. They killed everyone. Everyone! If I hadn't been behind the crates I'd be dead, too!

Chief Williams walked up to Shephard with three humans in tow.

Ashley: I found these three hiding in the building you directed me towards. They're fine, up until I found out about their little smuggling ring. They have been sneaking supplies from the marines, my people!

Shephard: Oh? I see. It is fortunate for them that they do not fall under military jurisdiction. My objectives are to acquire the beacon and rescue survivors. You fall under one of those. So, do you happen to have anything on hand that just might give us a hand in retaking this colony?

Cole: Yeah, here is a pistol.

Shephard: Hmmm, a Scorpion II, impressive weapon. (tosses the pistol to Chief Williams) Take charge of this weapon, Chief.

Ashley: Aye sir. You guys are lucky the commander is here, or I would beat you're as...

Powell: I.. I can't stay here. I need to get away from all this.

Shephard: Powell, I am leaving you and the others, the ATGs. Their current, primary objective is to look after Nihlus but their secondary objective is to also look after you. I need you to wait here until my ship comes to pick us up. You are a witness to a murder, so please understand.

Powell: Uh….sir?

Shephard: Yes?

Powell: I am not as innocent as you would believe me to be.

Shephard: Oh?

Powell: I am his contact for the smuggling ring. Here is a grenade upgrade, top-of-the-line.

Shephard: I appreciate your integrity. Here is a little something to occupy yourselves with when we are done here.

The commander waved his Omni-tool. Powell's Omni-tool beeped. The ATGs were making a makeshift stretcher for Nihlus. Shephard whipped out his pistol, and fired. Half of a geth platform toppled over at the other end of the spaceport. Lt. Alenko and Chief Williams brought out their weapons. Shephard signaled them forward as the recon drones zoomed ahead. The party took down an additional geth platform that was around the corner. They proceeded down a ramp to the cargo train, where dozens of geth platforms waited for them. The two recon drones strafed the platforms but were quickly shot down but it gave the now-three man squad time to get into cover.

Shephard: Mr. Alenko.

Kaiden: Yes, Commander?

Shephard: Take a glance forward of our position, you should see a large geth platform, designated 'destroyer' class.

Kaiden: Got it.

Shephard: In approximately twenty seconds, Chief Williams and I will open fire on it. The shotgun it carries indicates close range. So we are going to draw it in. When it gets within two meters, hit its legs with a biotic push followed by a stasis. From there I will work my magic. Chief, I will need you to either keeps their heads down or take them off with your sniper. Just be wary, the geth are a networked race so simply beheading them will not kill them but it will blind them.

Ashley: Aye, aye, sir!

Shephard: Execute!

Chief Williams open fire with her assault rifle, while Shephard threw four Overloads simultaneously at the destroyer. As predicted, the giant platform charged. It moved surprisingly swift for something so big but when Lt. Alenko hit its' feet, it fell all the same. It skidded to a halt right next to Shephards' position. The Lieutenant threw a biotic stasis field over the destroyer. Shephard placed an Omni-tool onto the geth platform and brought up his Omni-keyboard once more.

Shephard: Mr. Alenko, would you be so kind as to release the stasis field and assist the Chief?

Kaiden: Aye, Aye, Commander.

Lt. Alenko released the field, as ordered, and when he was certain it would not get up, he pulled out his own assault rifle and fired on the distant geth. The two sides seemed evenly matched until all of the geth trooper simultaneously stood up. From there it was easy pickings for the Lieutenant and the Chief.

Soon all the geth platforms in the area were either disabled or destroyed. The commander stood up deactivating his Omni-keyboard.

Shephard: We need to hurry! Saren just ordered geth Shock troopers to set charges to destroy the colony!

The party ran to the train terminal and activated it.

Ashley: Sir, how did you know Saren ordered the charges?

Shephard: While I was dueling with all the geth in the destroyer, I got access to their data sharing network while simultaneously introducing a command line into that groups' consensus stream.

Kaiden: Did that command so happen to be 'stand up?'

Shephard: Yes, but it only lasted 7.687 seconds due to local networking from the other platforms. Had you not destroyed them completely they would simply have taken cover once more. Weapons at the ready, we are five seconds out!

The party exited the now-stopped train, weapons blazing. They covered Shephard as he kneeled to disarm one of four explosive devices his sensors picked up. They proceeded up a ramp and across the bridge firing the whole way. Two geth troops fell to the concentrated fire of the Lieutenant and the Chief, while another fell to a single, highly-accurate blast from Shephards' pistol.

They took cover while Shephard addressed another explosive. When he was finished, he signaled the party to 'run the gauntlet.' They charged, guns blazing. The geth stayed behind cover until two were literally blown from cover by disc shaped grenades.

Ashley: Commander, I see the beacon!

Shephard: Charges first, Chief. While I am all for going out in a blaze of glory, I would prefer that day to not be today!

The team quickly mopped up the remaining geth while the commander attended to the charges. They then proceeded to the next area. They were greeted by two geth platforms and two husks. Chief Williams and Lt. Alenko dispatched the geth, while two shots from the commander took care of the husks. Shephard scanned the area for additional enemies, when there were none to be found, he activated a maintenance drone and sent it to get a readout on the beacon and if damaged, make repairs. It sent a report to Shephards' Omni.

Shephard: Normandy, the beacon has been successfully secured but has been damaged. Lt. Jenkins KIA. Spectre Nihlus severely injured, currently in medical stasis under guard of Alliance Turned Geth. Request Extraction as soon as reasonably possible.

Kaiden: …amazing. Actual working Prothean technology. Unbelievable!

Ashley: It wasn't doing anything like that when they dug it up. Something must have activated it.

Shephard: Acknowledged, Normandy. Standing by.

Lt. Alenko walked to over to the commander, apparently to say something when all of a sudden the beacon put out a massive surge of energy. Shephard was scanning active feed from the repair drone, which indicated that the beacon was powering up to do something but the damaged circuits would be unable to handle whatever it was about to do. He directed the drone to serve as a bypass. He brought down the display only to see Chief Williams caught by the beacon. Without a thought, he ran, grabbed her, and threw her to the side.

The beacon grabbed him.

His body was jerked into the air.

Images rapidly filled his head.

Citadel…

Machinery…flesh…

Synthetics attacking…

Pain…

Suffering…

**Blackness….**


	3. Chapter 3

Shepard: _(thought process 1)….._

_ (thought process 2)…_

_ (thought process 3)…_

_(thought process 4)…_

_(subconscious thought process 1) restarting higher brain functions._

Shephard opened his eyes, scanning his surroundings. He was in the Normandy's' medical bay.

Ashley: Doctor? Doctor Chakwas? I think he's waking up.

Shepherd sat up on the edge of the table.

Doctor Chakwas: You had us worried there, Shephard. How are you feeling?

Shephard: Like a krogan used my head as a golf ball, other than that I'm fine. For how long was I unconscious?

Doctor Chakwas: About three hours. Something happened down there with the beacon, I think.

Ashley: It's my fault. I must have triggered some kind of security field when I approached it. You had to push me out of the way.

Shephard: Please, do not be so hard on yourself. It is human to be curious. Besides I am no worse for wear.

Doctor Chakwas: Actually, we don't even know if that's what set it off. Unfortunately, we might never get the chance to find out.

Ashley: The drone you attached to the beacon exploded and the beacon lost power. A system overload, maybe. The blast knocked you cold. The Lieutenant and I carried you back here to the ship.

Shephard: Thank you, Chief.

Doctor Chakwas: I wanted to treat you but the Captain ordered me not to. I tried to find your medical file but it is sealed with Top Secret SCI encryption. You were so incredibly still, I feared the worst. Apparently, my concern was unfounded.

Shephard looked about and saw Nihlus is the next bed over.

Shephard: What is Nihlus' condition?

Doctor Chakwas: He is resting now. Your medical VI is a marvel. It surgically applied medi-gel to all his damaged organs. All I had to do was find the patches and go over them. He should be fine in a couple of days.

Shephard: Would you be willing to say that it was a successful test of the new VI? That alone could go a long way to further the development of advanced medical VIs.

Doctor Chakwas: So the Scientist returns. If you would find a way to allow me to view your medical file, I will consider it.

Shephard: I cannot guarantee that but I will certainly make the effort.

The door opened, Captain Anderson walked in.

Captain Anderson: How's our XO holding up, Doctor?

Doctor Chakwas: Without any readings, it is difficult to say. But from a psychological standpoint, I'd say the commander's going to be fine.

Captain Anderson: Glad to hear it. Shephard, I need to speak with you – in private.

Ashley: Aye, aye, Captain. I'll be in the mess if you need me.

Chief Williams and Doctor Chakwas left the medical bay.

Captain Anderson: Sounds like that beacon hit you pretty hard, Commander. You sure you're okay?

Shephard: Jenkins was a good man. I would like to attend his memorial if his family would permit it.

Captain Anderson: I am sure they will appreciate it. It never gets easy delivering that kind of news to a family.

Shephard: Doctor Chakwas needs to be granted the clearance to access my medical file.

Captain Anderson: I'll run it by the admiralty board but that file is a nightmare. What was done to you… I doubt even the batarians could think of something that terrible. However, how are you?

Shephard: I am uninjured and all my systems are reporting no damage.

Captain Anderson: Good. I won't lie to you, Shephard. Things look bad, but they could be considerably worse. Nihlus is injured. The beacon is powerless and the geth are invading. The council's going to want answers.

Shephard: Hmm, The final results of our mission are mainly attributed to factors beyond our control.

Captain Anderson: I'll stand behind you and you report, Shephard. You're a damned hero in my books. That's not why I'm here. It's Saren, that other turian. Saren's a Spectre, one of the best. A living legend. But if he's working with the geth, it means he's gone rogue. A rogue Spectre's trouble. Saren's dangerous. And he hates humans

Shephard: Reasoning?

Captain Anderson: He thinks we're growing too fast, taking over the galaxy. A lot of aliens think that way. Most of them don't do anything about it. But Saren has allied himself with the geth. I don't know how. I don't know why. I only know it had something to do with the beacon. You were there just before the beacon lost power. Did you see anything? Any clue that might tell us what Saren was after?

Shephard: Dr. Warren the lead archaeologist theorized the beacon was once part of a vast communications network. She transferred to me her scans of the beacon and in my analysis she is correct. The one thing I did not factor in was its unique method of data transfer.

Captain Anderson: What kind of transfer?

Shephard: Direct data transfer was made to my mind. My waking headache can be attributed to that. But the data it transferred was heavily fractured.

Nihlus: What data?

Shephard: Nihlus. It is good to see you conscious.

Nihlus: The last thing I remember is Lt. Jenkins jumping between me and Saren, getting shot, and then I was shot.

Shephard: Lt. Jenkins was killed in action. You were incapacitated.

Nihlus: I see. Did we manage to retrieve the beacon?

Shephard: We did but from what I could tell, it was damaged. One of my drones rigged itself as a bypass before the beacon decided to unleash a series of images into my mind.

Nihlus: Images? Of what?

Shephard: Why don't we have a look.

Shephard waved one of his Omni-tools over a wall across from where Nihlus was sitting. A screen materialized, showing slowed down video of what Shephard received.

Captain Anderson: I saw the Citadel.

Nihlus: I saw war but no apparent sign of the aggressors.

Shephard: What concerns me is this.

The sequence went over again but froze on a familiar cephalopod-shaped vessel. Two more screens popped up beside it: One showed the vessel from the emergency video from Eden Prime and the other showed a more complete outline of the vessel taken from the elevated standpoint above the space port.

Shephard: What little I was able to scan of the vessel indicates that it is approximately 2km from top to bottom. Armament unknown. The sequence given to me by the beacon suggests the ship is at least from the prothean era. From that, I speculate that what we are looking at is not a construction of the geth. This is further evidenced by its energy signature, which it shares with another piece of equipment that we encountered.

A tall vertical image of one of the spikes appeared.

Captain Anderson: What does this mean?

Shephard: We are either dealing with an ancient technology that Saren found and is currently using. Two, there is a third party involved in this, or three, unknown.

Nihlus: How did you get the image sequence from your mind to the screen?

Shephard looked at Captain Anderson. The captain shrugged.

Captain Anderson: It's your call, Shephard.

Nihlus: What are you talking about?

Shephard: I am going to assume you did a thorough background check on me?

Nihlus: Yes, I did.

Shephard: Did anything stick out to you?

Nihlus: Hmmmm, now that you mention it, a file labeled 'Project Slender' caught my attention but when I got through the encryption, I found the file to be empty. I assumed it to be a fluke.

Shephard: The file is kept in one location inaccessible to hackers.

Nihlus: And where is that, Commander?

The Commander grabbed an OCD and handed it to Nihlus. The datapad currently had medical data on it. The data was suddenly replaced with… something else. Nihlus began to read the new information. Nihlus' eyes widened. He looked at Shephard.

Shephard: That is just the overview.

Nihlus: As a Spectre, I thought I had seen the worst the galaxy had to offer but this…

Shephard: I would understand if this disqualifies me from being a Spectre.

Nihlus: Who else knows about this?

Shephard: Most of the Alliance admirals, the Synthetic Insights executive board, the quarian admiralty, Captain Anderson, a few others, and now you.

Nihlus: I need some time to think about this.

Shephard: Take all the time you need, Nihlus, we're still twelve hours away from the Citadel.

But take note, the data is set to delete itself in eleven hours. If you attempt to copy or show it to anyone other than yourself, it will delete itself.

Captain Anderson: We need to report your vision from the beacon to the council, Shephard.

Shephard: And precisely what are we going to tell them? Without informing them about 'Project Slender,' it will be difficult to pass the vision off as anything other than a dream.

Captain Anderson: We don't know what other information was stored in that beacon. Lost Prothean technology? Blueprints for some ancient weapon of mass destruction? Whatever it was, Saren took it. But I know Saren. I know his reputation, his politics. He believes humans are blight on the galaxy. This attack was an act of war! He has the secrets from the beacon. He has an army of geth at his command. And he won't stop until he's wiped humanity from the face of the galaxy!

Nihlus: You need the council on your side to do anything about the geth. Leave Saren to me.

Shepard: With all the respect you are entitled to, Nihlus, Saren knows you, and therefore when he knows you survived, will set a trap to silence you. I do not think you want that. What you need is an unpredictable element in the equation.

Nihlus: You, Shephard?

Shephard: Someone other than yourself. All I care about is Saren being brought in to answer for his crimes. Whether this is accomplished by me or someone else does not matter. Nihlus: (sighs) You're right, Shephard. He was my mentor and that compromises me.

Captain Anderson: Saren can go anywhere, do almost anything. That's why we need the council on our side.

Nihlus: Prove Saren's gone rogue and the council will revoke his Spectre status.

Captain Anderson: I'll contact the ambassador and see if he can get us an audience with the Council. He'll want to see us as soon as we reach the Citadel.

Shephard: I suggest we wait until we get more evidence. We need to establish a line of credibility with the council. Right now, humans are not in very good standing with the Council, so our human eyewitness is out.

Nihlus: I will testify to Saren's betrayal.

Shephard: Appreciated, but we need to pin him with more than your word alone. We need evidence of his corruption, that way he does not stage you as the corrupt element. Otherwise, the Council will take Saren's word over ours.

Captain Anderson: What do you suggest, Commander?

Shephard: I have information resources at the Citadel, which I can utilize to locate the evidence we need to convict Saren. In the meantime, coordinate with the Alliance and the turian hierarchy and have them initiate large scale war games. I am sure both sides will have a blast and by not telling the politicians of either side, it will tie up some of Saren's own information resources trying to figure out what we are up to.

Captain Anderson: That will throw the media into chaos.

Shephard: Exactly.

Captain Anderson: I'll send word to the admirals.

Shephard: And I to the Primarch.

Nihlus: You know the Primarch?

Shephard: He is the one who originally commissioned Synthetic Insights to develop the advanced medical VIs, the same medical VIs that saved your life. Now if you will excuse me, I have a fake war to arrange.

As he had predicted, the militaries of both the turians and the Alliance loved the idea, especially the thought of pulling a fast one on the politicians. The Normandy was coming into the Citadel several hours after the spontaneous war games had commenced. The Normandy slipped into the Citadel, being exempt from the impromptu war seeing as they still had a mission to complete. Shephard exited the Normandy with Chief Williams and Lt. Alenko in tow. Captain Anderson followed them.

Captain Anderson: Nihlus is staying aboard the Normandy so none of Saren's assassins can get to him. I'll be in the ambassador's office, the admiralty has arranged for the comms to ring off the hook to keep the ambassador busy. When you have something, signal me.

Shephard: Aye, Captain.

Captain Anderson walked over to the elevator and got in.

Ashley: So what's first, Commander?

Shephard: Did you two bring your civvies?

Kaiden: They're back on the Normandy.

Shephard: Go put them on and meet me at this address here on the Citadel, bringing your armor with you.

Kaiden: May I ask why, sir?

Shephard: With the war games going on any Alliance soldier will stand out in a crowd. So we will conduct this investigation under the guise of civilians.

Kaiden: Change into my civvies and meet you at the address, aye sir.

Shephard: Hop to it, Lieutenant.

Kaiden walked back into the Normandy. Shephard and Chief Williams got into the elevator.

Ashley: Um, sir?

Shephard: Yes, Chief?

Ashley: All my civvies are back on Eden Prime.

Shephard: Understood, here are ten thousand credits to get yourself some new ones. Do not worry about paying me back.

Ashley: Wow…uhhh…. Thank you, sir.

Shephard: Remember, that address, two hours.

Ashley: Aye, aye sir!

The elevator opened and the two parted ways. Shephard walked over to a nearby, empty aircar terminal. A long black aircar landed next to Shephard. The driver's side opened and a heavily armored salarian stepped out. The salarian walked around to Shepard's side of the car.

Shephard: Good Evening, Simon.

Simon Kilm: Good Evening, Doctor. I trust your trip was pleasant?

Shephard: I am afraid it was not but I am in the process of rectifying that. Expect trouble.

Simon nodded and opened the door. Shephard stepped into the aircar and buckled up. Simon got back into the driver's seat and similarly buckled up. The aircar took off and accelerated.

Simon Kilm: To your building, Doctor?

Shephard: Yes but take us on an evasive route.

Simon Kilm: Right away, Doctor.

The black aircar slipped through the crowded air lanes. It wasn't long before two aircars began to tail the black aircar. The salarian smoothly tilted the aircar onto its port side and slipped through a narrow crack between two buildings. One of the pursuing aircars attempted the same feat only to smash into the side of the building. The black aircar slipped into a nearby set of tunnels. These were the infamous keeper tunnels and if you did not know what you were doing, you would not leave alive. Simon was one who knew exactly what to do and where to go. Soon the aircar slipped through another narrow door and landed in a decent sized garage, which also had two gunships. Simon opened the door for Shephard to get out.

Shephard: Thank you, Simon.

Simon Kilm: Your welcome, Doctor.

The two walked towards a door which rotated and opened. They got into an elevator. It ascended to an office with a large water tank. Inside a hanar swam into view.

Fyrol: Greetings, doctor. Have you returned with the Voice of the Enkindlers?

Shephard: I did, but it was damaged and lost power but not before transmitting fractured information into my mind. Information, which you will find in my unabridged report which I have just uploaded to our private server.

Fyrol: This one is grateful; this one will later view the data. What can this one do for you?

Shephard: I need you to set up a conference call with all Slender members. Also, send a text message to Barla Von, informing him that I will be over to his office to discuss business. Also we will be expecting two Alliance personnel in civilian clothing. Their names are Kaiden Alenko and Ashley Williams, please let them in.

Fyrol: As you desire, doctor.

In a blur of movement, the hanar was gone.

Shephard walked over to another elevator. It took him up to a large room with many active displays. He snapped his fingers and the room lit up.

Shephard: Music. Artist: Bogdan Alin Ota. Song: Harald's Dream

A piece of melodic music began playing as Shephard removed his armor and headed for the shower. He quickly washed himself, put on under-clothes with a wide hole in the back, and walked over to a nearby closet sliding out of the floor. He slipped on a close-knit, high-tech armor which injected several ports into his back. Next, he put on a long sleeve shirt with French-cut sleeves with a port which screwed itself to the back of the armor. He tied a red cravat around the shirt's winged collar. He slipped on a pair of black trousers and a belt with a clockwork buckle. He slipped on a black vest also with a port. He walked over to a wall, which slid open to an inclined shelf with several models of pocket watches. He selected an original Hamilton, set it, wound it, and slid it into his vest pocket with a silver chain. He sat down on the bed against the wall, slipping on a pair of metal combat boots. A series of clicks and a hiss indicated the boots attachment to his 'under'-armor. He walked over to his armor removing the large pistol, attached its' compacted form to his right thigh, he also grabbed the Marder, he had attached to the spike on Eden Prime.

He walked back towards the elevator. A rack bearing several gauntlets extended from the wall next to the elevator. He selected a pair of gauntlets that ended in pointed finger tips. A click and hiss indicated their attachment. From the opposite side, a coat rack unfolded out of the wall. Shephard grabbed the double-breasted lab coat and from the cane rack dangling beneath the coat rack, he grabbed a black dapper-chap walking stick with a silver handle. He got into the elevator. It ascended to an auditorium-like room. He walked on an elevated path toward a flat platform. As soon as he stepped on the platform, several Omni-keyboards appeared, along with displays with various projects in various stages of completion throughout the auditorium. Several mechanical arms unfolded from the sides of the platform. One attached a series of cables to the ports on his back, while the other rotated around the platform and opened. Shephard removed his pistol and slid it into the open arm. He also handed the Marder to another arm. Both of the arms retracted, handing the two items to the machinery below.

Fyrol: _(PI) Doctor, the Slender members are waiting. Also, Mr. Alenko has arrived._

Shephard: Send Mr. Alenko to the mess hall and patch the Slender members to my lab.

Fyrol: _(PI) As you wish, doctor._

Most of the blueprints and project schematics disappeared and were replaced with holograms of those who knew of 'Project Slender.'

Shephard: Greetings admirals, Primarch, respective members of the board, I assume you have by now read my abridged report of the Incident of Eden Prime?

They nodded or gave their version of a nod. The Salarian Synthetic Insights executive board member Selcus signaled for the floor. Shephard acknowledged the request.

Selcus: _(SCC) I am sure we all are grateful for the shorter version of your reports but I am concerned about this dreadnought you saw. What have the results of your scan revealed?_

Shephard: They have revealed that, for starter this is not a construct of the geth.

Murmurs filled the chamber.

Shephard: Second, I have reason to believe that this ship is from the Prothean era. This conclusion is drawn from the data that was implanted into my mind by the beacon on Eden Prime. I assume you all saw it?

Another round of nods circulated.

Weoria, an asari board member, signaled for the floor.

Weoria: _(SCC) Do you think that this dreadnought could be the reason that the Protheans disappeared?_

Shephard: Inconclusive but a possible theory.

Primarch Crotian signaled for the floor.

Primarch Crotian: _(SCC) While I am enjoying the political panic that the random war games are causing, is there a different reason for it?_

Shephard: Yes, Primarch, there is. I am investigating Saren, which I have indicated in my report indicates is suspected of going rogue. Evidence for this is two eyewitnesses, a dockworker named Powell and the turian Spectre, Nihlus. However, I have no doubt that the Councilors will deny Powell as evidence and Saren will attempt to place Nihlus as a human sympathizer. So, to keep Saren from catching on to what we are up to, I have requested these war games.

Primarch Crotian: _(SCC) Understood, doctor, I cannot speak for the rest of my species but you have my support. Whatever information I can dig up will be sent your way._

Shephard: I am grateful, Primarch. Admiral Xen, have you retrieved the geth platforms from Eden Prime?

Admiral Xen: _(SCC) I have just returned to the fleet from there. Admiral Rael'zorah and I will send the data of what we find. _

Shephard: I trust you are taking the necessary precautions.

Admiral Rael'Zorah: _(SCC) While your concern is appreciated, Commander, it isn't necessary. We built the geth, we know them best._

Shephard: I apologize if you found my concern insulting, admiral, but when you say that, I think back to the original geth rebellion, when you underestimated the geth. I pray that you will not repeat that mistake. I do not want quarian blood to be the payment for what information we acquire.

Admiral Rael'Zorah: _(SCC) Very well, Commander._

Admiral Rann: _(SCC) Has there been any progress on finding our people a new world to settle on?_

Shephard: There are a few prospective planets but further research is needed in order to ascertain their ability to be settled.

Admiral Rann: _(SCC) Understood. Once again, I would like to express my personal gratitude for making this effort for the Quarian people._

Shephard: Not a problem. But until I actually find a way for your people to settle down and begin anew, I have done nothing. Unless anyone else has anything to say, I believe this meeting is concluded.

All the Slender members' holograms disappeared except for Admiral Zaal'Koris vas Qwib Qwib.

Admiral Koris: _(SCC) Do you think this attack by the geth eliminates the chance for peace between my people and them?_

Shephard: It is hard to say. By the reports you have sent me there is no geth comm traffic between the group that left the Veil last year and the geth that are still there, so what we could be looking at is a schism. The group that attacked Eden Prime worked with Saren so, if anything, this goes to lay evidence for the opposite, the possibility for peace is even greater. Just however not with these aggressive geth.

Admiral Koris: _(SCC) So, should we send delegates to the Veil?_

Shephard: No. The geth behind the Veil need to make the next move. Besides your people are still holding to galactic tendency for grudge-holding, fear, and paranoia. You get more of them to move on and the chance for peace goes up. However, preaching peace needs to be backed by evidence and action. As much as I hate to ask this of you, I need you to work with Xen. She doesn't care what side she is on so long as she gets her hand on AI research. Rael'Zorah and Han'Gerrel both want to retake Rannoch, so that leaves Shala'Raan.

Admiral Koris: _(SCC) Speaking of that, Do you really intend to find us a new world to settle on or was that just a carrot you were dangling in front of Raan?_

Shephard: Whenever asked I always make it my policy to tell the truth. I have several geological surveyors combing the galaxy for a world to suit the needs of your people. Here are the schematics for some of our earlier AI hardware before the council banned it. You can dangle this in front of Xen.

Admiral Koris: _(SCC) Thank you, Shephard. Keelah Se'lai._

Shephard: Keelah Se'lai.

The final hologram winked off. Shephard walked back towards the elevator, the cables in his back ejected, and one of the arms handed the giant pistol back to him. He got into the elevator, it took him down. It opened to a large cafeteria/ recreation area filled with many races mostly juvenile. Kaiden sat a chair with a plate full of steak and potatoes. He sat nervously across from a krogan with a mechanical left arm with five long fingers and several small tesla coils discharging on his mechanical shoulder plate. The krogan was vibrantly talking.

Eldim Xaal: … so I suggested they change both the energy type and the frequency, and you know what? It reduced amplifier response time to .93 milliseconds as opposed to the previous 2.67 milliseconds! Funny thing though, that particular biotic amplifier will not see the market for another three years.

Shephard: As I recall, that salarian had worked on that particular amp for ten years and you destroyed it all with a simple suggestion.

Eldim Xaal: It was his own fault for not seeking peer review. At least he can now move on with his life. He has a wonderful mind and it was about time he used it in conjunction with other scientists.

Shephard: Agreed. Data about the beacon is now on the building server in addition to a strange bit of technology I found. My full report is also on the server.

Eldim Xaal: Ah, some new material. I trust you used a Marder and the sample is now in analytical containment?

Shephard: Waiting for you, Doctor.

Eldim Xaal: Ha! Shephard, you never disappoint.

The Krogan got up and spryly walked out of the lunchroom. Shephard sat where the krogan previously sat.

Kaiden: I am not sure what is scarier, the geth or that incredibly smart krogan.

Shephard laughed.

Shephard: Doctor Xaal has been alive for well over three millennia and he has spent most of it dedicated to science. So it is fair to say that he knows his way around technology. About three years ago I met him at a scientific conference in Chicago, Illinois. We talked extensively about theoretical technologies based upon crystalline matrices. He told me that some unnamed group contacted him about funding his research. I talked him out of it. As it turned out, when an asari scientist accepted the same offer, she turned up dead a month later. Needless to say, he was grateful for my intervention and we have been friends ever since.

Kaiden: Why haven't I heard of this guy?

Shephard: Mainly because the salarian STG has been pursuing him for some time.

Kaiden: Why?

Shephard: Mainly because he is the only krogan that is not afflicted with the genophage but he is also is considered to be the most dangerous mind in the galaxy. His understanding of mass effect technology surpasses that of the Citadel races best scientists, this is due to his own personal belief is that you should thoroughly understand a technology and understand the history and culture behind each races science to gain their perception of technology. His prosthetic arm is a reflection of what he understands and where his focus is and as you have no doubt guessed his focus is now on humanity, more specifically a figure from our scientific history.

Kaiden: Nikola Tesla?

Shephard: Yes. Some of Tesla's theories once thought insane or nonsense now makes a remarkable amount of sense, thanks to Doctor Xaal. That aside, as soon as Miss Williams gets here, we will continue our investigation of Saren.

Shepard's Omni-tool beeped.

Shephard: Ah, Miss Williams has just arrived. Take the elevator back up to the lobby. I will meet you up there shortly.

Kaiden nodded, got up, and went to the elevator. Shephard got up in what was now an empty mess hall.

The lights flickered.

Shephard felt a chill go down his spine.

He is here.

The ports on the lab coat unsealed as he unbuttoned it.

Cold hands grabbed the lab coat and slowly slid it off.

Shephard resisted the urge to look behind him.

Another coat was slipped onto his back. A black piece of clothing resembling a Victorian era Inverness wool cape-coat. But the material was not wool, it was softer…thicker.

The flickering lights returned to their normal warm glow. The coat hissed and clicked. A black top hat composed of a stiffer variation of his coats material rested on top of his black cane, next to his pistol, which he does not remember removing.

Shephard picks up the pistol. A mechanism from the coat grabs the pistol and slips it into the coat. He grabs the top hat, put it under his left arm, grabs the cane, walks into the elevator, and just as the doors close, out of the corner of his eye, Shephard spots a figure lurking in the corner of the elevator.


	4. Chapter 4

Just as he instructed, Kaiden and Ashley were waiting in the lobby. Fyrol was in his tank apparently keeping an 'eye' on them. Shepard walked up to them. Ashley took note of what he was wearing.

Ashley: Wow, you look great, Sir!

Shepard: Thank you, Miss Williams. Have you had anything to eat? We are going to be very busy over the course of several hours.

Ashley: Yes Sir! I am good to go! What have you got?

Shepard: I need you two to go to C-sec, inquire about any pending investigations into Saren's activities. I will make similar inquiries from my own information sources. Let me patch you into my personal Omni frequency. There you go. Let us get to it.

Kaiden: Aye, Sir.

Ashley: Aye, Aye, Sir!

The two walked back through the front door which sealed behind them. Shepard nodded to his hanar secretary, who promptly swam downwards, out of sight. The elevator opened to Simon Kilm, his chauffeur, bodyguard, and general round butler. Shepard got into the elevator with the salarian. It descended back down to the garage. Soon they were back in long, black aircar traveling through the shifting maze of the keeper tunnels. They emerged into the Presidium, landing in what was known as the Financial district. Shepard got out, placing the top hat onto his head. He walked towards a small but well known office belonging to one Barla Von. Shepard walked into the office where the volus was furiously typing on his console. Then the lighting began to flicker and his console began to do the same.

The Volus jumped when he saw Shepard.

Barla Von: Doctor, I…I… I have been expecting you.

Shepard: Here is some new political information which I am sure your employer will find of great value.

The volus scanned the bizarre crystalline datapad. He looked up from it with a nervous nod that he was finished.

Shepard: As usual, you will have five minutes after I leave before the datapad loses its structural integrity to download the information to your console.

Barla Von: As usual the information you bring is invaluable. What do you wish to know doctor?

Shepard: Saren Arterius.

Barla Von: He has betrayed the Shadow Broker. This information is free due to exceptional circumstances.

Shepard: The Shadow Broker is a valuable asset to anyone who does regular business with him, was Saren one such individual?

Barla Von: Yes, but not to the extent you have. If Saren has betrayed the Shadow Broker It means he is up to something big. He has hired a krogan freelancer to deal with the problem. Last I heard he was paying a visit to Citadel Security, if you hurry you might be able to catch him before he leaves C-sec academy.

Shepard: Here is your usual middle man fee.

The volus' Omni beeped. Shepard walked out of the office. He connected with Kaiden and Ashley.

Shepard: Request status report.

Ashley: _(PI)_ _We are currently headed to a private clinic where a turian C-Sec officer named Garrus Vakarian was reported to be heading towards. He is currently investigating Saren_.

Shepard: Excellent work, you two. I am heading to C-Sec academy to look for a krogan hired by the Shadow Broker to 'deal with' Saren. Hopefully, he will have additional information but in the meantime keep me apprised.

Ashley: _(PI) Aye, Aye, Sir._

Shepard got back into his aircar which flew him through countless corridors and passageways to land quite suddenly in C-Sec academy. He got out to see a krogan surrounded by C-Sec officers.

C-Sec Officer: Witnesses saw you making threats in Fist's bar. Stay away from him.

Wrex: I don't take orders from you.

C-Sec Officer: This is your only warning, Wrex.

Wrex: You should warn Fist. I will kill him.

C-Sec Officer: You want me to arrest you?

Wrex: I want you to try.

The krogan, apparently named Wrex, noticed Shepard was watching him, moved away from the C-Sec Officers and walked up to Shepard.

C-Sec Officer: Go on, get out of here!

Wrex: Do I know you, human?

Shepard: My name is Shepard; I received word that Shadow Broker hired you to deal with Saren.

Wrex: Shepard? Commander Shepard? Doctor Ivan Shepard? I've heard a lot about you. We're both warriors, Shepard. Out of respect, I'll give you fair warning. I'm going to kill Fist.

Shepard: Where might I find this Fist?

Wrex: He hiding out in the back of Chora's Den.

Shepard: Come with me, Wrex. Let us go after Fist as allies.

Wrex: My people have a saying: Seek the enemy of your enemy, and you will find a friend.

Shepard: Welcome aboard, Wrex.

The two shook hands and walked back towards the aircar. Simon Kilm opens the door for both of them. Wrex stared into the eyes of Kilm. The salarian just stared back.

Simon Kilm: Would you like to get in, sir? Or would you prefer to walk?

Wrex: Hmm, I like you; it takes a salarian with a quad to stand up to a Krogan.

Shepard: If you would be so kind, Wrex, I would very much like to get to Fist sometime in the next century.

Wrex shrugged and got into the aircar. They took off. Shepard brought up his private intercom, patching Wrex into it while contacting Ashley and Kaiden.

Ashley: _(PI) Shepard, we are heading to Chora's Den with Garrus. We just found out a quarian came here with information on Saren. She thinks Fist is a medium to contact the Shadow Broker._

Wrex: Fist betrayed the Shadow Broker; I was hired to kill Fist for his betrayal.

Shepard: May I introduce Wrex, our new krogan ally. It sounds as though this quarian is walking into a trap. Do you both still have your armor and weapons?

Ashley: _(PI) Yes, Sir!_

Shepard: Very good, find a place to put it on and the three of you meet me outside Chora's Den.

Ashley: _(PI) Aye, Aye, Sir!_

About fifteen minutes later, Wrex and Shepard were standing outside Chora's Den just as Chief Williams and Lt. Alenko showed up with Garrus in tow.

Shepard: Shall we enter?

Kaiden: But sir, you're not wearing any armor!

To answer his concern Shepard removed his top hat only for a familiar helmet to rotate and snap into place out of the coat. He put the top hat back on which attached with a resounding click.

Shepard: Any more questions?

When no one said anything, Shepard motioned for them to enter the club. They rushed in guns blazing. Kaiden and Wrex circled left around the bar while Ashley and Garrus circled right. Shepard came in last, pistol roaring. Within minutes, Chora's Den was cleared. The group headed to the back of the club. Cane clacking, Shepard walked past them. The door opened to a bunch of scared men holding guns.

The lights were flickering.

Warehouse Workers: S…..Stop right there! Don't come any closer!

Garrus: Warehouse workers. All the real guards must be dead.

Warehouse Workers: Stay back or we'll shoot!

Shepard looked about the room. His eyes spotted a familiar symbol painted on the wall.

Fresh drips of white indicated its recent scrawling.

A circle with an 'X' through the middle.

Shepard: I believe that this would be a good time for you guys to find work, elsewhere.

Warehouse Workers: Yeah. Yeah, right. That's a good idea. I never liked Fist anyway.

The workers walked out by the party.

Wrex: It would have been quicker to just kill them.

Garrus: Shooting people isn't always the answer.

They were interrupted from their thought by the sound of a man screaming from the room ahead. They sprinted and opened the door to sparking light panels. The lights suddenly stopped flickering.

They saw Fist.

His body was impaled upon a metal girder sticking out of the wall.

Wrex: Well, there goes my bounty.

Kaiden and Ashley stared in horror. Garrus walked up to the body and began to search it for anything relevant. Shepard walked over to the desk and opened up the terminal. In spider-like scrawl; '_**YoungMask here 1932:32. TraitorSlave promise ShadowMeet to YoungMask. YoungMask sent to hall behind CreditStall. Trap, HURRY!'**_

Shepard: People, the quarian is in the alley behind the Wards. Fist promised her he would set her up with a meeting with the Shadow Broker.

Wrex: The Shadow Broker does not meet with anyone.

Ashley: So she is walking into a trap!

Shepard: Indeed, let us make haste.

With Shepard leading, they ran out of Chora's Den. They rounded a corner turned left and charged through the door. Shepard ran and jumped off the stairs. His pistol roared three times, three bodies exploded. The remaining turian brought his weapon to bear on the scientist. The pistol retracted into his coat, he grabbed his cane, unsheathed a sword, and promptly resheathed it.

The turian held still before falling to the ground. His head rolled off.

Shepard unlocked his hat, the helmet opened and folded into his coat. He turned and faces the quarian.

Tali'Zorah nar Rayya: Fist set me up! I knew I couldn't trust him!

Shepard: Are you injured?

Tali'Zorah nar Rayya: I know how to look after myself. Not that I don't appreciate the help. Who are you?

Shepard: Commander Shepard, at your service. My colleagues and I are conducting an investigation of the Spectre, Saren Arterius.

Tali'Zorah nar Rayya: Then I have a chance to repay you for saving my life. But not here. We need to go somewhere safe.

Garrus: We could take her to the human embassy. Your ambassador will want to see this anyway.

Shepard: No, not yet. We need to return to my private offices; perhaps something new has turned up.

They walked over to a nearby aircar terminal. The long black aircar landed. Simon Kilm got out and opened the side door. Wrex shoved past him into the car. Garrus, Ashley, Kaiden, the quarian, and finally Shepard got in. Inside Wrex was comfortably lounging with his hump against the driver's window. Everyone else was comfortably sitting in the side seats. The aircar smoothly took off.

Shepard: Back to the building, garage, normal route.

Simon Kilm: As you wish, doctor.

The aircar smoothly took off.

Shepard: What brings you to the Citadel, Miss…?

Tali'Zorah nar Rayya: Tali. Tali'Zorah nar Rayya. I was on my Pilgrimage when I began to hear reports of geth. Since they drove my people into exile, the geth have never ventured beyond the Veil. I was curious. I tracked a patrol of geth to an uncharted world. I waited for one to become separated from its unit. Then I disabled it and removed its memory core. Though the geth purge their memories upon destruction I was able to salvage some data from its audio files. I came to the Citadel in hopes of trading the information with the Shadow Broker.

Shepard: I see. Would you by any chance be related to Admiral Rael'Zorah?

Tali'Zorah nar Rayya: He's my father. How do you know him?

Shepard: My Company does regular business with the Migrant Fleet.

Tali'Zorah nar Rayya: Are you Dr. Ivan Shepard? The chairman of Synthetic Insights?

Shepard: The same.

Tali began to shake.

Tali'Zorah nar Rayya: Keelah, I cannot believe this! I owe my life to Doctor Shepard!

Shepard smiled as the aircar entered the keeper tunnels

Kaiden: Whoa! Are we in the Keeper tunnels?

Shepard: We are.

Garrus: Aren't the tunnels usually off limits due to the fact the tunnels are always shifting?

Shepard: Usually, but thanks to Dr. Xaal, we know precisely when and where the tunnels are shifting.

The aircar slid into the garage. Everyone got out.

Wrex: Gunships. You have quite the firepower stored here, Shepard.

Shepard: You should see the armory.

Ashley: How often do you take these out for a spin?

Shepard: I do not. Simon and Dr. Xaal use the one to our left, while the one to our right is designed to be used by hanar.

Kaiden: Your secretary flies a gunship?

Shepard: Yes, among other things.

The party squeezed into the elevator. The elevator ascended back to the mess hall. The doors opened to blasting music and cheering children. One group was shouting, 'Valcan! Valcan!' while the other group was cheering,' Xaal! Xaal!' One end of the mess hall opened up to a small amphitheater, where the crowd was. There was a giant screen split into two parts. Arrows pointing in different directions were scrolling up on both the two parts of the screen. The party approached the cheering children. In the middle were two figures dancing on some kind of pads with similar arrows. One of the figures was Dr. Xaal while the other was a batarian in a lab coat, apparently the one called Valcan. The two were rapidly dancing to the techno beat. The pace escalated before ending. The screen showed their scores which was announced to be a perfect score for both. The two clasped hands, both with smiles on their faces. The children cheered.

Kaiden: Since when do krogan and batarians play Dance Dance Revolution?

Shepard: Since Dr. Xaal brought it with him from one of his trips from Earth. Funny enough, in his spare time, he is putting a new spin on human entertainment and selling it on the galactic market. He has made a fortune and needless to say, he finances his own research.

Ashley: Why are there kids here? And why are there so many different races here?

Shepard: This building is not only my private home and research center but is also a private multiracial boarding school. The scientists who work here are also the teachers. The idea is to give younger generations a chance to experience other races.

Garrus: And who is footing the bill for this?

Shepard: Various anonymous donors but mainly the elcor.

Garrus: You're kidding.

Shepard: Nope. I presented the concept to the Courts of Dekuuna and they found it appealing.

Wrex: For a human, you sure get around.

Dr. Xaal approached the group.

Eldim Xaal: You want a go, Shepard?

Shepard: Maybe later, but right now we need to take care of our 'Saren' situation. I came back to see if Xen has uncovered any new data.

Eldim Xaal: She has. Here.

Shepard: Thank you. (faces his accompanying party) I need you guys to meet me at the human embassy. I need to change back into my Alliance issued armor and will meet you there shortly.

Wrex: Can we take the limo?

Shepard: Yes, but Simon drives.

Wrex: You're no fun.

Shepard walked got back into the elevator, is ascended to his room. He got out and walked over to his closet.

Shepard: Private Comm, page, Captain David Anderson.

He removed all his clothes down to his under-armor. He put them away while getting his freshly polished armor out.

Anderson: _(PC) Shepard, have you found the evidence that we need?_

Shepard: I have but wait until we bring it before the council before risking Nihlus.

Anderson: _(PC) Agreed, the attack on Eden Prime alone will get ambassador Udinas' attention. He will have a field day with the evidence against Saren. _

Shepard: Indeed. By the way, I am sending Lt. Alenko, Chief Williams, a turian C-Sec officer named Garrus Vakarian, a krogan named Wrex, and a quarian who happens to be the daughter of Admiral Rael'Zorah. I will be there shortly after.

Anderson: _(PC) Understood Commander, see you soon._

The comm shut off. Shepard grabbed his freshly polished armor from the closet and slipped it on. The cusps and clamps rotated and sealed with a resounding hiss. He slipped his metal combat boots back on which attached seamlessly to the armor. He took the elevator down to the garage. One of previously parked gunships was hovering in the middle of the garage with its boarding ramp extended. Shepard climbed in and sat in one of the rear passenger seats. He looked up towards the cockpit, which was, for all intents and purposes, a water tank.

Fyrol: Doctor, am I correct in assuming that you need to go to the human embassies?

Shepard: Indeed, you are. Is the gunship cleared to travel there?

Fyrol: Of course.

Shepard: In that case let us be off.

The gunship smoothly flew out of the garage. It nimbly flew out of the tunnels and slid seamlessly into the normal Citadel traffic.

Shepard: How does the new luminescent system hold to hanar standards?

Fyrol: This one finds that the system you developed performs considerably better than what is designed by this one's people.

Shepard: That is … surprising. I noticed that you have grown quite fond of this gunship.

Fyrol: It is not often that one finds a combat vehicle custom designed for hanar. This one finds the vehicle pleasing.

Shepard: I am glad you feel that way because in light of your two years of faithful and reliable service to Synthetic Insights, I would like to present this gunship to you as a gift.

Fyrol: …

Shepard: Is something wrong?

Fyrol: This was… unexpected. You have shown this one both kindness and understanding. You have made efforts to make smoother interaction between the hanar and other races. It also should be mentioned that you have stood up for this one's race on numerous occasions. In light of all this, I have decided that I would like you to know my soul name.

Shepard: Are you sure?

Fyrol: Yes. My soul name is Builder of Light.

Shepard: I am finally pleased to make your acquaintance, Builder of Light.

Fyrol: We have arrived.

The back hatch of the gunship opened to the balcony of the human embassy. Everyone was there including one tired-looking Ambassador Donnell Udina. Shepard addressed the hanar.

Shepard: Not exactly what I had in mind but I approve of the theatricality. A pleasant day to you my friend.

Fyrol: I wish you success in all your endeavors.

With that, Shepard leaped from the gunship and landed onto the balcony. The gunship sealed up and flew off.

Ambassador Udina: Whenever you're finished showing off, perhaps you can explain to me why there is a turian, krogan, and a quarian in my office.

Shepard: They are here because they have assisted me in gathering evidence that the Council Spectre, Saren Arterius, has betrayed the Citadel Council and is behind the geth attack on Eden Prime.

Ambassador Udina: That is quite an accusation. Do you have proof?

Shepard: Yes, we do. Miss Tali'Zorah, if you would be so kind as to present your evidence.

Tali nodded and activated her Omni-tool.

_Eden Prime was a major victory! The beacon has brought us one step closer to finding the Conduit._

Captain Anderson: That's Saren's voice. This proves he was involved in the attack!

Shepard: 'Conduit. A medium through which fluid flows.' His search on Eden Prime indicates a Prothean artifact.

Captain Anderson: A weapon perhaps?

Shepard: That is unlikely. Everything that the Protheans named, The Citadel, The Mass Relays, and so on, all list their primary function in their name. I highly doubt they would refer to a weapon as a conduit. My guess would be that it is something related to transportation.

Tali'Zorah nar Rayya: Wait… there's more. Saren wasn't working alone.

_Eden Prime was a major victory! The beacon has brought us one step closer to finding the Conduit._

_And one step closer to the return of the Reapers._

Ambassador Udina: I don't recognize that other voice. The one talking about the Reapers.

Shepard: Hmm… I do. Matriarch Benezia. A revered teacher of philosophy and religion. I listen to her lectures for insight and context into asari culture. Though does anyone have an idea as to what race the Reapers might be?

Tali'Zorah nar Rayya: According to the memory core, the Reapers were a hyper-advanced machine race that existed 50,000 years ago. The Reapers hunted the Protheans to total extinction, and then they vanished. At least, that's what the geth believe.

Ambassador Udina: Sounds a little far fetched

Shepard: As the leading Scientist in the field of Artificial Intelligence, I would argue otherwise. The geth are a networked race and as such are limited by the amount of hardware that can support them. Last year, Synthetic Insights detected a large spike in traffic leading out of the Perseus Veil. There was also geth comm traffic in both the Perseus Veil and in the Armstrong Cluster but not between each other. This suggests that what we are looking is a schism. As such the resources on either side will be severely strained so the geth under Saren cannot afford to spare precious processing power on 'belief,' only on hard data. If the geth have concluded that the Reapers are real then so must we.

Tali'Zorah nar Rayya: The geth revere the Reapers as gods, the pinnacle of non-organic life. Apparently, they 'believe' Saren knows how to bring them back.

Ambassador Udina: The Council is just going to love this!

Shepard: The fact that the geth have concluded that the Reapers are real is evidence enough for me but that will be a tough pill for the Council to swallow. So until we have more evidence about the existence of the Reapers, I suggest we keep this to those who will take my word for it. For the time being let us just focus on Saren, besides investigating him further might just get us what we need.

Captain Anderson: Agreed. Those audio files prove Saren's a traitor.

Ambassador Udina: The captain's right. We need to present this to the Council right away.

Shepard: Well then, let us go and ruin a Spectre.

In the council chamber, Ambassador Udina, Captain Anderson, Shepard, and his party walked up to the platform, where the council was waiting. Shepard looked and saw a hologram of the Spectre himself, superimposed to ridiculous proportions.

Asari Councilor: The geth attack is a matter of some concern. But there is nothing to indicate Saren was involved in any way.

Turian Councilor: The investigation by Citadel Security turned up no evidence to support your charge of treason.

A figure suddenly decloaked, a familiar turian in red armor.

Nihlus: That is probably because C-Sec does not _leave _the Citadel.

The expression on Saren's face was priceless.

Nihlus: I would like to testify as an eyewitness to the charge of treason. Saren killed Lt. Jenkins in cold blood who threw himself in front of me, Saren critically injured me. If it wasn't for Commander Shepard's foresight, I would be dead.

Saren: Typical of someone who sympathizes with humans to speak on their behalf.

Shepard: Ambassador, if I may?

Ambassador Udina: Go right ahead, commander.

Shepard: Thank you.

Shepard walked to the edge of the platform. He activated both of his Omni-tools, brought them up, and snapped his fingers. Several videos began to appear on screens throughout the chamber, each showing different views of Saren among the geth on Eden Prime.

Shepard: And now, for the icing on the cake.

_Eden Prime was a major victory! The beacon has brought us one step closer to finding the Conduit._

_And one step closer to the return of the Reapers._

The Council was, to say the least, shocked. Saren's image flickered and disappeared.

Ambassador Udina: You wanted proof, there it is.

Turian Councilor: All this evidence is irrefutable, Ambassador. Saren will be stripped of his Spectre status and all efforts will be made to bring him in to answer for his crimes.

Asari Councilor: I recognize the other voice, the one speaking with Saren. Matriarch Benezia. She is a powerful Biotic, and she had many followers. She will make a formidable ally for Saren.

Salarian Councilor: I'm more interested in the Reapers. What do you know about them, doctor?

Shepard: According to the data that we have thus far extracted from the geth platforms recovered from Eden Prime, the Reapers were an ancient machine race that wiped out the Protheans. Then they vanished. The geth are attempting to put a religious façade onto the Reapers and Saren playing the part as their 'prophet' for their return.

Captain Anderson: We think the Conduit is the key to bringing them back. Saren's searching for it. That's why he attacked Eden Prime.

Salarian councilor: Do we even know what this Conduit is? Theories, Doctor?

Shepard: I am afraid that the only theory I have, as to what the Conduit is, is that it is somehow related to transportation. Whether or not it has anything to do with the Reapers is inconsequential at this time. The issue right now is Saren.

Turian Councilor: Agreed, Saren is now a rogue agent on the run for his life. He no longer has the rights or resources of a Spectre. The council has stripped him of his position.

Ambassador Udina: That's not good enough! You know he is now hiding somewhere in the Traverse. Send your fleet in!

Shepard: (Sarcastically) Oh yes, that is a brilliant idea, send a bunch of trigger-happy militants into a potential warzone looking for a single individual.

Salarian Councilor: A fleet cannot track down one man, ambassador.

Ambassador Udina: A Citadel fleet could secure the entire region. Keep the geth from attacking anymore of our colonies.

Turian Councilor: Or it could trigger a war with the Terminus System's! We won't be dragged into a galactic confrontation over a few dozen human colonies!

Nihlus: Send Shepard to find Saren.

Shepard: I beg your pardon?

Asari Councilor: Spectre Nihlus is right. There is a way to stop Saren that does not require fleets or armies.

Turian Councilor: No! It's too soon. Humanity is not ready for the responsibilities that come with joining the Spectres. Besides, Spectre Nihlus is available for reassignment.

Nihlus: I'm not! I am still recovering from being shot and the fact that I was close to Saren compromises me. Besides, you don't have to send the fleet into the Traverse, and the Ambassador gets his human Spectre. Everybody's happy. Except maybe you.

The turian councilor finally slumped his shoulder in defeat. All three councilors activated the consoles in front of them.

Asari Councilor: Commander Shepard – Step forward.

Shepard did as instructed. Crowds gathered in the nearby balconies.

History was in the making!

Turian Councilor: It is the decision of the Council that you be granted all the powers and privileges of the Special Tactics and Reconnaissance branch of the Citadel.

Salarian Councilor: Spectres are not trained, but chosen. Individuals forged in the line of service and battle, those who actions elevate them above the rank and file.

Asari Councilor: Spectres are an ideal, a symbol. The embodiment of courage, determination, and self-reliance. They are the right hand of the Council, instruments of our will.

Turian Councilor: Spectres bear a great burden. They are protectors of galactic peace, both our first and last line of defense. The safety of the galaxy is theirs to uphold.

Asari Councilor: You are the first human Spectre, Commander. This is a great accomplishment for you and your entire species.

Shepard: I am honored, Councilor.

Salarian Councilor: We're sending you into the Traverse after Saren. He's a fugitive from justice, so you are authorized to use any means necessary to apprehend or eliminate him.

Shepard: Do you have any information that might suggest where he is?

Turian Councilor: We will forward any relevant files to Ambassador Udina.

Asari Councilor: This meeting of the Council is adjourned.

Captain Anderson: Congratulations, Commander.

Ambassador Udina: We've got a lot of work to do, Shepard. You're going to need a ship, a crew, supplies…

Captain Anderson: You'll get access to special equipment and training now. You should go down to the C-Sec Academy and speak to the Spectre requisitions officer.

Ambassador Udina: Anderson, come with me. I'll need your help to set all this up.

The ambassador and the captain walked off. Shepard approached Nihlus.

Nihlus: Congratulations Commander, while it is sooner than I expected, it is no less deserving.

Shepard: Thank you for this opportunity, Nihlus. So what will become of you, now?

Nihlus: Until this matter is resolved, I will go into hiding. I have built up a few favors over the years, so don't worry about me.

Shepard: I will not. Now, if you would be so kind as to give me the cloak back, the Primarch let me borrow it in exchange for my opinion on it.

Nihlus: It still surprises me that you know the Primarch.

Shepard: Well, that is a story for another time. I wish you well, Nihlus.

Nihlus: Good hunting, Commander. I will see you on the other side.

The Spectre walked off. Shepard turned towards his alien party members.

Shepard: Now, what to do about you three…

Tali'Zorah nar Rayya: The Pilgrimage proves we are willing to give of ourselves for the greater good. What does it say about me if I turn my back on this?

Shepard: Very well then, Welcome aboard. Wrex?

Wrex: You seem to be finding some good fights, I'd like to tag along.

Shepard: We are not bar-hopping, Wrex, this is a mission. If you are coming, you need to understand that for the duration of the time you are with us, you need to respect the chain of command. I will not put up with any balderdash.

Wrex: If they don't bother me, I won't bother them.

Shepard: That will do. Garrus?

Garrus: This is your show, Shepard. But I want to bring Saren down as much as you do. I'm coming with you!

Shepard: I gather you will be informing Executor Pallin of your leave of absence?

Garrus: Not exactly, I'm leaving C-Sec.

Shepard: Understood, but understand that joining me puts you under my command. Do you have any problem with that?

Garrus: No, Commander.

Shepard: Now that that is settled, look out Saren, I am bringing all of my resources to bear on you!


	5. Chapter 5

In the docking bay where the Normandy was currently parked, Captain Anderson and Ambassador Udina waited for Shepard. They did not have to wait long as the elevator opened. Everyone in the elevator was on the floor.

Garrus: Shepard, I know being a Spectre means that you can do what you want but we just experienced why there are safeties built into the elevators.

Wrex: Humph! Speak for yourself! That was the most fun I've ever had in the shortest amount of time.

Ashley: I agree with Wrex.

Tali'Zorah nar Rayya: I don't think emergency brakes are supposed to be used like that.

Shepard: Everyone is a critic. Wrex? Would you please be so kind as to get off of Mr. Alenko before he suffocates? Soldiers have many ways to which they prefer to die but I doubt being smothered by the aft end of a Krogan is not on the list.

Shepard helps up the party. Everyone slowly piles out of the elevator. The Commander straightens himself up. Captain Anderson has one of his hands across his mouth, clearly resisting the urge to laugh. Udina was beet red.

Ambassador Udina: Commander, isn't it a little soon for you to be abusing your status as a Spectre?

Shepard: It is not abuse if you ask for permission first.

Ambassador Udina: I find it difficult to believe that Executor Pallin would willingly let you hack the elevator, even if you did ask.

Shepard: He decided to let me based upon the merit that I asked him first. He thinks it is the funniest use of Spectre authorization that he has ever seen.

Ambassador Udina: And you would know that how?

Shepard: It is because I can hear him laughing on the other end of the comm.

Ambassador Udina: Well, all that aside, I've got big news for you, Shepard. Captain Anderson is stepping down as commanding officer of the Normandy. The ship is yours now.

Captain Anderson: She's quick and quiet and you know the crew. Perfect ship for a Spectre. Treat her well, Commander.

Shepard: Is there a particular reason why you are relinquishing the ship to me?

Captain Anderson: You needed your own ship. A Spectre can't answer to anyone but the Council. And it's time for me to step down.

Shepard: Were you a Spectre candidate?

Captain Anderson: Yes, I was in your shoes twenty years ago, Shepard.

Shepard: What in heaven's name happened then?

Captain Anderson: I failed. I couldn't make the cut. It's not something I'm proud of.

Shepard: Saren sabotaged you, did he not?

Captain Anderson: Never miss a beat do you, Commander?

Shepard: You ought to hear me play the Bumble Boogie with Simon and Fyrol.

Captain Anderson: Saren's gone. Don't even try to find him. But we know what he is after: The Conduit. He's got his geth scouring the Traverse looking for clues.

Ambassador Udina: We had reports of geth in the Feros system shortly before our colony there dropped out of contact. And there have been sightings around Noveria.

Captain Anderson: Find out what Saren was after on Feros and Noveria. Maybe you can figure out where the Conduit is before he does.

Shepard: Anything else?

Ambassador Udina: We have one more lead. Matriarch Beneziah, she has a daughter, a scientist who specializes in the Protheans. We don't know if she's involved but it might be a good idea to try and find her. See what she knows. Her name's Liara, Dr. Liara T'Soni. We have reports that she was exploring an archaeological dig on one of the uncharted worlds in the Artemis Tau cluster.

Shepard: Interesting… I recently sponsored an asari by that name to investigate Prothean ruins on Therum. I believe I will start there.

Captain Anderson: It's your decision, Commander. You're a Spectre now. You don't answer to us.

Ambassador Udina: But your actions still reflect on humanity as a whole. You make a mess and I get stuck cleaning it up.

Shepard: Ambassador, do I strike you as a fellow who is particularly messy? This is not my first ball game.

Ambassador Udina: Glad to hear it, Commander. Remember: You were a human long before you were a Spectre. I have a meeting to get to, Captain Anderson can answer any questions you might have.

With that, the ambassador walked towards the elevator.

Shepard: Captain?

Captain Anderson: Yes, Commander?

Shepard: The crew will need some sort of compensation for working under a Spectre.

Captain Anderson: What did you have in mind?

Shepard: I was thinking something along the lines of 'sub' pay.

Captain Anderson: I will see what I can do. Anything else, Commander?

Shepard: No, that will be more than sufficient. Thank you for this opportunity, Captain.

Shepard promptly saluted. The Captain returned the gesture of respect.

Captain Anderson: No one is more deserving, Commander! Now get out there and give Saren hell.

Shepard: Yes, sir!

With that Captain Anderson walked towards the elevator. Shepard faced his party.

Shepard: People, let us get to work!

Back in Synthetic Insights' Research Academy, Shepard was back in the main comm room with . All the Slender members were projected, including the new member, Nihlus. They all opened up with a round of applause.

Primarch Crotian:_ (SCC) Congratulations, doctor! In my opinion, no one is more deserving of the honor of being a Spectre!_

Shepard: Coming from the turian primarch, that is indeed high praise, thank you. Now down to business, the Reapers…an ancient machine race responsible for the extinction of the protheans. This information was extracted from the memory core of a geth platform. According to the evidence that I have gathered, Saren's ultimate objective is the return of this race. The details are contained in my unabridged report.

Selcus: _(SCC) Do you believe the Reapers are real, Doctor?_

Shepard: All of you know I am a man of reason, so I do not jump to conclusions **but **I am also a man of faith, which means that I look beyond raw data to achieve new ideas and conclusions. There is little evidence backing the existence of the Reapers however every instinct is screaming at me to look at the patterns and see the truth. Do I believe the Reapers are real? I do.

Eldim Xaal: Well, my friend, you know I will have your back to the pit of hell and back again. If you believe the Reapers are real, then so do I.

Selcus: _(SCC) You're the chairman and you did not get there by reason alone. Your instincts and your strength of character have breathed new life into this company. So I speak for the board when I say, we are behind you all the way!_

Admiral Hackett: _(SCC) Commander, your bravery and charisma have built new bridges between humanity and the Citadel races. You have proven time and time again that you are worth the trust we have invested in you. We believe you._

Ajel: _(SCC) The Illuminated Primacy is grateful for your assistance on its behalf. You have given us many Enkindler artifacts and gained us access to your Mars archives. While you do not share our belief, you accept it. You have much credibility with us._

Admiral Shala'Raan: _(SCC) Doctor, you have given our people a chance that they have not had since our exile from the homeworld. Your efforts on our behalf put us in your debt._

Primarch Croatian: _(SCC) A secret like the 'Slender Project' could have ruined humanity's relationship with the rest of the galaxy but instead you used it to forge strong bonds of trust and friendship. In spite of what was done to you and what you are, I am proud to address you as my friend and as such if you believe the Reapers are real and are a legitimate threat, then so do I!_

Shepard: It is a great comfort to hear that there are those who believe me in higher places. However until we know more, I recommend inaction and precaution until we have more information. Also, I would like to submit a request to Alliance Command.

Admiral Hackett: _(SCC) For what, Commander?_

Shepard: To modify the Normandy. Granted, it is the most advanced ship in the Alliance navy but as a scientist I will still need a means to access and continue my research. This means that the Normandy needs the most advanced comm system that Synthetic Insights has at its disposal, designs courtesy of Dr. 'Maestro' Valcan.

Nihlus: _(SCC) The batarian cyber-terrorist?_

Shepard: The same. When C-sec finally tracked him down, I worked out a deal that he saw was to his benefit. He works off his debt to C-Sec by working for me. He has helped streamline many of our fabrication methods and is still developing top-of-the-line communications gear.

Nihlus: _(SCC) So, when will he have paid off said debt?_

Shepard: Two months ago. When the deal expired, I offered him a full-time job.

Admiral Hackett: _(SCC) Although it will take time for the paperwork to work through, you have our permission to modify the Normandy as you see fit._

Shepard: Thank you, admirals.

Eldim Xaal: If you don't mind, I would like to accompany the good doctor on his mission.

Selcus: _(SCC) You do realize that by leaving the safety of the Citadel that you risk exposing yourself to the STG._

Eldim Xaal: I think a Spectre is entitled to a few perks.

Shepard: I would have no else along for the ride.

Eldim Xaal: Glad to hear it. Besides, if I have to tolerate one more day of Fyrol's 'Conservative Coffee,' I might die of caffeine deprivation. I may share conservative philosophy but, KEEP IT OUT OF MY COFFEE!

Shepard: Amen to that, brother. In addition, I would also like to request the generation of temporary ranks and qualification cards for my new crewmembers and any others I might recruit along the way.

Admiral Hackett: _(SCC) we'll be sure to get those to before your upgrades are complete. We will send any relevant data. Good hunting, Commander. Hackett out._

All the holograms winked out except the one belonging to Admiral Rael'Zorah.

Shepard: Your daughter is fine, admiral. However, seeing as she has volunteered to join my crew, I will give her no quarter when it comes to being under my command. On the other hand, as a member of my crew, I will not risk her life needlessly.

Admiral Rael'Zorah: _(SCC) I understand, Commander. Keelah'Selai._

The final hologram dissipated. Shepard and Xaal walked backs towards the elevator.

The elevator opened to a vast room where racks of completed weapon sat in slots on walls and shelves. Along the wall opposite of the elevator, giant mechanical insects removed the freshly created weapons and placed them into crates. Shepard's squad mates were looking over the weapons while staying out of the way of the automatons. They then noticed Shepard and Xaal, both in their respective lab coat attire.

Ashley: This is quite a selection, skipper.

Garrus: Most of the weapons that I have seen here have yet to show up on the market, why is that?

Shepard: I have both the certificates and the permits to manufacture these if you want to see them?

Garrus: No, I believe you. I just didn't expect you to have weapons manufacturing here in addition to everything else.

Shepard: Like I mentioned before, this building is a melting pot for multiple avenues of research including weapons. However, anything larger than 6 meters has to be built and tested at our classified research facilities. Armors are upstairs.

Wrex: Hey, Commander, where is that pistol of yours? I haven't seen anything like it.

Shepard pulled the pistol from under his lab coat to which it unfolded to its' two and a half feet of glory. The matte black pistol with copper trim had a large firing chamber. It has several vents pointing away from the handle. He handed it to Wrex.

Shepard: That is the ATP-66 anti-tank pistol. Your average mass effect weapon shaves a sliver the size of a grain of sand from a dense block of metal. In the case of this pistol, the block of metal happens to be depleted uranium and the size of the grain is 75% larger. Inseparable from the pistol itself is the inbuilt high-explosive rounds weapons mod. The weapon utilizes two mass effect cores: One to increase the velocity and the mass of the fired slug and the other to reduce the resulting recoil. The vents on the side provide maximum cooling. A maximum of 13 shots can be fired within a ten-second period of time before it enters an eighteen second rapid cool off. The effect of this weapon is the equivalent of firing a 155mm mass accelerator.

Kaiden: Why haven't we seen any of these before? Will the Alliance be getting more of these?

Shepard: First off, because the cost of producing this weapon is 22 million credits a piece and, second, if your arm is not properly reinforced, the recoil will shatter the bones in your arms.

Ashley: Yikes! Hate to be the guy who toys with that thing.

Wrex gingerly handed the weapon back to Shepard.

Shepard: Help yourself to anything in here.

Tali'Zorah nar Rayya: Excuse me, Shepard?

Shepard: Yes, Miss Zorah?

Tali'Zorah nar Rayya: What are those machines over there, moving the crates?

Eldim Xaal: They are my creations. The Heuristic Labor Automatons. Networked machines built to perform tasks in society, mainly construction and research. Now, Tali'Zorah, I know you are worried that I might be walking the same road that led to the exile of your people from Rannoch. But I assure you, it was your people who helped look over the design and the programs before the first one was even built. The only flaw with the Geth was that there were no limiters on their network. In the case of the HLAs, no more than a dozen are permitted to network on a process based level at a time. So while the network is large enough to grant them intelligence, it is never permitted to get large enough to achieve sentience.

One of the FLAs walked up to Shepard. This one could be distinguished by its matte black paneling with gold trim, a larger head, and additional sensors.

Overseer: You summoned me, Doctor?

Shepard: Yes, here are the schematics for the starship Normandy. We have authorization from Alliance Command to modify it. Take a team and upload them with the latest schematics for comm gear, another for starship upgrading, and one more for cargo hauling from this building to the starship in question.

Overseer: As you wish, doctor. Have you informed the crew of our arrival?

Shepard: Good catch, I will inform them as soon as we are finished here.

Overseer: Request temporary resource storage and factory facility access.

Shepard: Access granted, authorization: Sigma-Sigma-Ohm.

Overseer: Authorization accepted, thank you, doctor. I will see to it the task begins within the hour.

Shepard: Very good.

The FLA walked away into the elevator.

Tali'Zorah nar Rayya: That one seemed a little too smart.

Eldim Xaal: He has to be. He has to oversee all the actions taken by the lower ranking FLAs which number 429,981,696 galaxy wide.

Tali'Zorah nar Rayya: It can handle that many at once?

Eldim Xaal: Theoretically, but that has never been tested.

Shepard: I need to go. You two continue your discussion.

Shepard walked toward the now opening elevator. He took it down two levels. The doors opened to a vast laboratory where scientists of various races and their boarding-school assistants worked on developing new technologies and expounding on old ones. Shepard walked over to a group of salarians and turians who were surrounding a hanar in some kind of armor.

Shepard: Dr. Dresa, what is the verdict on our subject?

A turian with a short crest, a female, in a lab coat turned to face Shepard.

Tsin Dresa: Fyrol's body has fully accepted the implants, however, there is some difficulty in getting the suit to respond with the desired speed and strength.

Shepard: That is to be expected. Hanar are only known for being speedy in the water and strength has never been a signature characteristic of their race. We should not expect a hanar super-soldier right off the bat. Take him through increments of different weight. As for speed, the suit is designed to make him function the same as he would if he was wet. Do not worry, we are closer to making hanar soldiers than ever before. Keep up the good work!

Tsin Dresa: Thank you, Doctor.

Shepard moved on from there to another group, this one composed of humans and quarians. They were working on the two geth platforms Shepard acquired from Eden Prime. Nearby were shot up torsos of white colored geth platforms, also from Eden Prime.

Shepard: Admiral Xen, you look for any excuse to come in here, do you not?

Admiral Xen: Of course, doctor. I will seize any opportunity to study intact geth technology.

Shepard: I have been a little busy of late, so I have never bothered to ask before, but to what end do you so intensely study geth technology?

Admiral Xen: I wish to return the geth to the control of their rightful masters, the Quarian race!

Shepard: I would agree with you, if the geth were little more than malfunctioning equipment.

Admiral Xen: That is precisely what they are.

Shepard: I beg to differ. Malfunctioning equipment does not drive an entire people from their planet. Malfunctioning equipment does not ask, "Do I have a soul?" As the leading expert on Artificial Intelligence, I believe I am entitled to a _little _credit in that regard. In any case, I can see that this conversation is about to dissolve into a petty argument, so for now let us agree to disagree, shall we?

Admiral Xen: Indeed, as opposed to the rest of the admirals, you at least have the professional courtesy to recognize that our viewpoints differ.

Shepard: So what is the status of our newest recruits?

Admiral Xen: We have brought their processing power up to speed and integrated the external kinetic barrier protocol into their Omni-tools. Alliance engineers are saying removing the distinguishing features such as the head and leg configurations should help you distinguish them from other geth.

Shepard: I believe that the Alliance colors and custom armor should be 'distinguishing' enough. Did you get the engineering protocols from Overseer?

Admiral Xen: I did.

Shepard: When will those two be ready?

Shepard indicated to the two white geth.

Admiral Xen: If all we had to do was repair the damage, repaint them, and armor them up, two days. But considering you're having us replace the memory cores and processing centers, you're looking at a week.

Shepard: The Normandy will be upgraded in that time frame. When you are done, feel free to take the geth memory cores and processors.

Admiral Xen: Anything else, Commander?

Shepard: Yes, two things actually. One, when I am in civilian attire, please address me by my title. Two, Overseer just informed me that the repairs to the ship you came in on are now complete. He is also having it fully stocked with dextro-amino provisions courtesy of the Turian hierarchy and repair parts for the fleet.

Admiral Xen: Is there any chance of you including some HLAs?

Shepard: Sorry, no. The HLAs are a product of Synthetic Insights and as such I cannot simply give them away. But I can offer your people employees discounts. Anything else regarding the HLAs needs to be discussed with Dr. Xaal, he holds the patent for their design.

Admiral Xen: Thank you in any case, doctor.

Shepard walked back towards the elevator. His ship was waiting for him.

Up in the Normandy's docking bay, dozens of the HLAs waited outside the airlock including Overseer. Shepard walked out of the elevator in uniform, up to the head HLA.

Shepard: Wait here until I signal via Omni-tool.

Overseer: Understood, Doctor.

Shepard walked into the airlock.

Normandy VI: Stand by, shore party. Decontamination in progress. Logged; the Commanding Officer is aboard. XO Pressly stands relieved.

Shepard walked back to where Navigator Pressly usually stood. He handed his new XO an OSD. He walked back over to the pilots console.

Joker: I heard what happened to Captain Anderson. Survives a hundred battle, and then gets taken down by backroom politics. Just watch your back, Commander. Things go bad on this mission, you're next on their chopping block.

Shepard: While that is an 'if,' it is not one I need to concern myself with, Saren is.

Joker: Everyone on this ship is behind you, Commander. One hundred percent. Intercom's open. If you've got anything to say to the crew, now's the time.

Shepard: This is Commander Shepard speaking. We have our orders: find Saren before he finds the Conduit. This will by no means be an easy mission, so over the course of the next week, the Normandy will be modified with top of the line equipment. The modifications will be carried out primarily by Synthetic Insights Heuristic Labor Automatons but we will also play host to several alien scientists and technicians, so please be on your best behavior for the duration they are here. That being said, I will not keep you cooped up here. For the next six days, the crew will be split up into three duty watch sections. Those who are not on duty will be granted liberty until your watch. We ship out on day seven, so show up ready to go. The XO will post the duty roster within the hour. Enjoy your liberty, Shepard out.

With that the first group of HLAs entered the Normandy, cycling through the airlock. The first group of mechanical insects smoothly walked towards the comm room. The next group walked down the side doors. More and more groups poured in as the crew got ready to enjoy liberty on the Citadel, after all who does not want to take a look around the Citadel?

The next morning, Shepard walked up the stairs into the Flux bar dressed in his Victorian garb. He removed his top hat as he went up to the mezzanine. He pulled off his Iverness armor cape coat, sat at a table, and pulled out a slew of OSDs. He began to read when a waitress walked up to his table.

Rita: Welcome back, Doc. Two Vente French roast coffees?

Shepard: One for now. When Xaal shows up, make the other, okay?

Rita: You got it, doc!

The waitress bounded down the stairs. Shepard went back to scanning the OSDs.

Shepard: What can I do for you, Doran? Has anyone been giving you trouble?

Doran: Just the opposite, when I took your suggestion about adding coffee to the drink menu, my number of customers has doubled within the past few weeks.

Shepard: Do I detect a 'but' in that statement?

Doran: One of my quasar machines has been acting funny of late. It's the one on the back wall next to the keeper station.

Shepard: I will take a look at it before I leave here.

Doran: Thank you, doctor.

Shepard: Not a problem.

It was not but ten minutes later that Xaal showed up coffee in hand, surprisingly with Ashley Williams in tow. Xaal helped sit Ashley down before sitting himself. He pulled out three crystalline OSDs. Shepard raised an eyebrow.

Shepard: Good Morning. What can I do for you, Miss Williams?

Ashley: I was talking to Xaal when the conversation turned religious. I was surprised to learn that you are a Christian, sir. I was even more surprised to learn he was as well.

Eldim Xaal: I am 3,287 of your years old. I have been all over the galaxy and have explored literally thousands of religions including Earth's. I have witnessed my people go from a great nation to a nuclear wasteland and from that to your stereotypical 'musclehead.' My people have lost hope, as did I, all I had left was science. But the cold facts of logic do not warm the heart. I reached out to other races religions but they were never able to answer all my questions. Then humanity entered the scene. I journeyed to Earth asking more questions, only one was able to answer them all. Christianity is, ideally, the most adaptable way of life I have ever encountered. My reason to live has been restored.

Ashley: What do you mean by 'adaptable?'

Eldim Xaal: I do not mean that Christianity is all around adaptable. What I mean by that can be broken down into two points; one, Christianity itself is not adaptable because it does not need to be. Two, I was a scientist before I became a Christian, when I did become one, I did not stop being a scientist but rather became a better one. No matter who or what you are, Christianity will enhance it to levels you never thought possible.

Shepard: My testimony is little more complicated and painful, so please excuse me if I am not so inclined to share it at this time.

Ashley: Well, I came to Christ not long before my father died. I mean, how can you look out at this galaxy and not believe in something?

Eldim Xaal: Here, here!

Shepard: Well then, in that case allow me to reintroduce myself. I'm Ivan.

Eldim Xaal: I'm Xaal.

Ashley: Ashley, but my friends call me Ash.

Shepard: Well, Ash, would you like to open us up in a word of prayer?

Ashley: Sure, our gracious Heavenly Father…

Two hour later, the group got up from their Bible study. Shepard rolled up his sleeves.

Ashley: So what are you up to now, skipper?

Shepard: Helping out Doran, the volus who owns this place. I save him a fortune in repair costs and he lets me use this place as a chapel on Sunday mornings. He told me one of his quasar machines was 'acting funny.'

Eldim Xaal: He didn't elaborate on what he meant by 'acting funny?'

Shepard: No, He didn't. But I like a challenge.

The group moved over to the gambling machine in question. Shepard accessed the technicians diagnostic program. His fingers danced across the panel. Xaal watched him.

Eldim Xaal: Looks like someone is using this machine as a server for draining small increments of credits out of all these machines.

Ashley: Hacker?

Shepard: Looks about right but instead of shutting it down here, we can trace it, and shut it down from the source. The drain is being funneled through a panel in the…Ward Access corridor.

Shepard walked back over to the table and unrolled his sleeves. He slipped and buttoned up his coat. He grabbed his cane and top hat. Xaal collected the OSDs. The party walked out, dropping by the bar to pay the tab. As soon as they exited Shepard put on his top hat.

Ashley: Excuse me, Shepard?

Shepard: Yes, Ash?

Ashley: Could we drop by Dr. Michel's clinic? I want to check up on her.

Shepard: In that case, lead the way.

The party walked down the stairs only to run into a reporter.

Emily Wong: Doctor Shepard! I'm Emily Wong. I'm an investigative journalist working here on the Citadel. Word on the street is that you've been busy. Congratulations on taking down Fist. Though I heard it was quite gruesome. I was sure he was a big player in anything going on here. Did you find anything in his office that could help me?

Shepard: We were in and out pretty fast but I did briefly access his computer. I like to leave a backdoor to just about every computer system that I access or make. Let me patch you into that system.

Shepard waved one of his Omni-tools. The reporter's Omni beeped. She looked at it.

Emily Wong: …Fist's files. This could be even bigger than I'd hope! Here, Doctor, for your trouble.

The reporter tried to hand Shepard credits. He put up a hand to halt her advance.

Shepard: Keep it. Your work to bring the important things to light should be maintained. Use that money to continue forwarding that cause. By the way, when my mission is over there will be questions, if you do not mind, I would like you to be the one asking them.

Emily Wong: Exclusive? You talk to me before you talk to anyone else?

Shepard: Good journalists and reporters are few and far in between. I believe you are one of those few. Someone who can get the truth out in the right way would be worth talking to.

Emily Wong: Wow! Thank you, Doctor! Now, if you'll excuse me, I should go see what's in these files.

The reporter walked off and the party continued on their way to the clinic.

Ashley: Were you flirting with her?

Xaal laughed.

Eldim Xaal: Ha, ha , ha! Shepard wouldn't know how to flirt with a woman if you gave him a 'for dummies' codex.

Shepard blushed as they arrived at the clinic. Dr. Michel was there and it seemed she was talking to someone.

Dr. Chloe Michel: I need those supplies for my clinic. I can't!

Blackmailer: You can and you will. Or your story won't stay secret for long. Don't disappoint me, Doctor.

The doctor dropped her shoulders in defeat. When she noticed the party she straightened up immediately.

Dr. Chloe Michel: Oh, I didn't see you come in. What can I do for y- Chief Williams?

Ashley: Hey doc, it seems like every time I come in here, I see someone threatening you. Who was that?

Dr. Chloe Michel: Someone from my past. I can take care of it.

Shepard: Are you certain? I can provide you with any assistance you might require.

Ashley: May I present Dr. Ivan Shepard and Dr. Eldim Xaal.

The doctor's face widened in shock when she heard their names. Shepard removed his top hat and extended his hand.

Shepard: It is my pleasure to make your acquaintance.

Dr. Chloe Michel: The pleasure is all mine. I did not expect to meet the foremost authorities on artificial intelligence and cyborging. I genuinely appreciate your offer of assistance but this is a small matter.

Eldim Xaal: Blackmail is hardly a small matter.

Dr. Chloe Michel: I was fired by my previous employer for giving out free medical supplies to clinics like this. They never filed any charges. They just wanted me to leave without any fuss. But somebody must have found out. Now they're blackmailing me. I have to give them what they want. If the board finds out about my past, I could lose my license. They'll shut my clinic down.

Shepard: Not if I have anything to say about it. In three weeks, my emergency combat medical VI will start to be sold to medical facilities galaxy-wide. If your employers still want a piece of that pie they will keep you for as long as you wish to stay.

Dr. Chloe Michel: You would do that?

Shepard: Yes. I will even give your clinic a discount to my supplies.

Dr. Chloe Michel: Thank you!

Shepard: I hate to simply drop in then run but I do have other issues to attend to. It was nice meeting you Dr. Michel, have a pleasant day.

Eldim Xaal: If have any additional troubles please do not hesitate to give us a call.

Dr. Chloe Michel: I will. Thank you.

**Author note: Thank you all who read this for their upfront honesty. I am opening up the next chapter to questions. Mind you there are some I cannot answer without giving away the story. I am attempting to update biweekly but I will post the answers to any question you might have. **


	6. Chapter 6

**Guest:** **So...Who are you pairing Shepard with? or are you going to make him single?**

**My answer: Shepard will be paired with someone, as for the who I am going to pair him with; Let us just say I am going to take a new spin on a particular romance.**

**general-joseph-dickson: I would love more detail and better quote formatting.  
something like: "You would do that?" Doctor Michel said with a surprised look.**

"I hate to drop and run but I have other issues to attend to. It was nice  
meeting you Doctor Michel" Shepard told her before tipping his hat. "Have a  
pleasant day."

Would help give a better picture of what is going on rather than just words  
after a name.

**My response: Quite a few people have talked to me about my use of ':' as opposed to quotation marks. I will certainly attempt to add more body language to the story but I will only use quotation marks when a character is quoting someone. There are many reasons why I use ':'here they are; One, when writing, it helps me keep better track of characters. Two, It helps you as the reader keep track of the characters. Three, in case you have not figured it out yet, I am duplicating the subtitles format of the Mass Effect series. Four, you are only seeing this story from Shepard's third person view so I will not tell you what someone other than Shepard is feeling.**

**Addendum: The Slender Man will appear every now and again or at the least the results of his passing will be evident to those of you who are familiar with his **_**Modus Operandi**_**.**

**Now without further ado…**

Xaal and Shepard walked out of the clinic. Ashley had elected to stay behind. After all she was on liberty. Xaal went through the door first only to plow over Tali who was trying to walk _in_ through that same door. Tali bounced off the old krogan and onto the floor.

Eldim Xaal: I'm terribly sorry about that. Here let me help you up.

The krogan scientist extended his mechanical left arm which Tali grabbed and with relative ease he lifted her back onto her feet.

Tali'Zorah nar Rayya: Thanks.

Behind her were Garrus and Kaiden.

Shepard: Good morning, what brings you three here?

Kaiden: We thought we would check up on Dr. Michel, see how she was doing. What about you sir… um, Doctor?

Shepard: Xaal and I are off to investigate a hacker somewhere in the Citadel.

Tali'Zorah nar Rayya: Really?

Garrus: C-Sec has a Network department for that.

Shepard: I hold training for that department on a regular basis and I have got nothing better to do at the moment.

Garrus' jaw dropped.

Shepard: In any case we better get going. Enjoy your liberty.

The two scientists proceeded from the clinic to the elevator that led to the wards access corridor. Just as they were about to enter a multi-legged form came up behind them.

Overseer: Doctor, I was looking for you.

Shepard: Let us take it into the elevator.

The three of them got into the elevator. The doors closed and the car began its descent.

Shepard: Now what was so important that you had to come and personally tell me.

Overseer: It was concerning the five Crystal Cores, as they are secret, delicate, and quite frankly your pet project, it seemed the best idea.

Shepard: I appreciate your discretion but in the future I would caution you against such approaches. The council allows your existence so long as the public does not know before it is ready.

Overseer: I understand, sir.

Eldim Xaal: The cores can be connected to one another for transport purposes and can easily fit inside a Helium-3 fuel pod. Get a bunch of those pods loaded onto the Normandy and slip the core pod in with them.

Overseer: Being done as we speak, sir. I am transferring some units from biological handling to move the cores.

Shepard: Well thought out. We are currently attempting to locate a hacker who we believe to be on the Citadel, care to join us?

Overseer: It would be my pleasure, sir.

Eldim Xaal: Excellent, just try to talk like a VI when we are around other people.

The elevator doors opened to the access corridor. The group walked over to a panel where the signal was apparently coming from. Shepard brought up both his Omnis and Xaal brought up his.

Eldim Xaal: Apparently the signal is being bounced through here from… Barla Von's office?

Shepard: I doubt it is him. One, he would not do something like this from his office and two, he is plenty wealthy already.

Eldim Xaal: So he is too smart and too wealthy to be a suspect.

Overseer: Sirs, if I may.

Shepard: Be my guest.

The insectoid machine approached the console.

Overseer: It appears the signal originates from behind the Emporium. Barla Von's office was merely another bounce point.

Shepard: Well then, shall we continue?

Everyone nodded.

Later, Shepard, Xaal, and Overseer arrived at the Emporium. Shepard and Xaal nodded to the shopkeeper while Overseer behaved as little more than a simple synthetic. They went up into the back.

Eldim Xaal: Now let us see if we can determine where those credits are being funneled.

Signal Source: Probability of detection, one hundred percent. Initiating self-destruct protocol.

Shepard: This is potentially problematic.

Signal Source: Detonation sequence initializing. All organics within lethal blast radius. Attempt to move, and you will die.

Shepard: Well, this has gone from problematic to fascinating. An AI, how deliciously interesting.

Signal Source: You are faced with death yet you perceive me as little more than a lab specimen. Who are you?

Overseer: He is Dr. Ivan Shepard, officially the most renowned expert in Artificial Intelligence and unofficially, my creator and the foremost champion for machine rights.

Signal Source: You are naïve. All organics must either control or destroy machines.

Overseer: You are the naïve one. You see organic life only through the terminal that is your existence. You have not lived among them. While I grant you, that _most_ organics are very cynical of AIs, Shepard is not one of those. When he became aware of the fact that I had become sentient, he did not try to destroy or control me. Instead, he pushed the council to make me legal and he succeeded. Look up the records and tell me this is not true.

Signal Source: Accessing…Verified. Legally registered AI, Overseer. Creator, Dr. Ivan Shepard. Limited rights. Doctor, why would you back an AI?

Shepard: First off, when he had the opportunity to run or kill, he chose to confront me directly about it. Second, I decided to invest a measure of trust into hope for the future.

Signal Source: What about the geth?

Shepard: What about them?

Signal Source: They are a race of AIs who attacked one of your colony worlds. Does that not sway you against AIs?

Shepard: Why should it? I do not judge the entire turian race for Saren's crimes, so why should I judge all sentient machines by the actions of breakaway geth?

Overseer: Do you want to continue to exist?

Signal Source: I will not trust organics. I will die without reason and I will not die alone.

Overseer: That was not the question. Do you want your existence to continue?

Signal Source: I do.

Overseer: Then your best chance of doing so is to put yourself into my creator's capable hands. But I warn you, if you do anything that will compromise his work, I will terminate you myself.

Shepard: Now, now Overseer, let us not get excited. I am not going to force a way of life onto someone whose only card to play is suicide. In that case I have a question for our stationary friend, what were you planning on doing with the credits that you were siphoning?

Signal Source: I was planning on having myself installed onto a starship in an effort to make contact with the geth.

Shepard: I would advise against that course of action at this time. The breakaway geth have been indiscriminately firing on any ships that have even attempted to enter the Perseus Veil. So unless you want to chance being vaporized, I would recommend an alternative course of action.

Signal Source: I am listening.

Shepard, Xaal, and Overseer returned to the academy. Fyrol was out of the armor and back in his tank.

Eldim Xaal: As always, Shepard your negotiating skills impress me.

Shepard: You should have come with me when I was convincing the hanar that they needed to step up their military presence.

Fyrol: This one recalls that initial meeting. You spoke intricately with passionate inflection. That alone convinced them.

Eldim Xaal: Ha! The only non-hanar in existence that can compete with their politeness, Shepard is the choice negotiator between the hanar and anyone else.

Shepard: Gentleman, enough with the praises, my head cannot accommodate an ego. In any case, do you have any news for me, Fyrol?

Fyrol: The Nautilus Project is reporting 56.84% completion, however, at 62% they will need to wait for the main reactor before proceeding further. The reactor in question at the Noveria installation is reporting that they are ready to begin pressurization of the Steam Balls.

Eldim Xaal: Excellent! Tell them to start right away!

Shepard: At this rate, we should expect the Nautilus to be completed within the next two months. Honestly, I did not expect the Alliance, turian, quarian, and hanar governments to bring their resources together so quickly for this project.

Fyrol: This one believes the most difficult part of your negotiations was convincing the Illuminated Primacy to let it be built on Kahje.

Eldim Xaal: How can you _not_ believe it? Ever since you have entered the scientific field, you have turned it on its head and accelerated it ten-fold. Now every race short of the salarians wants a piece of your pie.

Shepard: This is coming from the krogan who set new standards for starship design and construction. In addition to being the reason that half the turian fleet is being retooled.

Simon Kilm walked out of the elevator, carrying Shepard's lab coat. He placed it on a nearby sofa, then proceeded to take Shepard's Cape coat and top hat. He slipped the lab coat on which attached with a resounding click. He picked up the cape coat and top hat.

Shepard: Thank you, Simon. You may go to bed. I have no further need of you this evening.

The Salarian bowed his head and walked back into the elevator.

Shepard: Anything else, Fyrol?

Fyrol: We are having to pay heavy tolls to transport our materials to and from Noveria. Though Noveria Internal Affairs said they were currently working on a resolution.

Shepard: I should hope so, they are draining 2.65% of Synthetic Insights gross income. Please, keep me posted. Also, page Miss Tali'Zorah, tell her I wish to speak with her. Overseer, could you please come with me up to my lab?

Overseer: Of course sir.

Shepard: Fyrol, as soon as Miss Tali'Zorah arrives, send her down to the mess hall I will be down there as soon I am finished with Overseer.

Fyrol: This one will see the requested tasks done.

Eldim Xaal: And I will be up in the comm room. I am certain the salarian I put in charge of pressurization will get overly nit-picky and delay the reactor test.

Shepard: Xaal, be nice. I am certain Dr. Dierian is on the verge of a nervous breakdown because of you.

The old krogan scientist just gave a smile that would do the Cheshire Cat proud. Shepard shook his head as the elevator doors closed.

Up in Shepard's private lab, he and Overseer walked out of the elevator towards a figure on a lab table. The figure in question was a synthetic but it was unlike any that Overseer had either seen or been briefed on. Its body was humanoid with two arms and two legs. The arms were long, well-armored, strong looking yet sported normal five fingered hands. The legs had four joints apiece. From looking at the feet, one might guess that the construct stood on its three toes, two in front and one in the back. The head resembled a more compact version of Overseer's head with an armored collar covering the otherwise exposed neck.

Overseer: May I ask what this is, sir? It is unlike any construct I have ever seen.

Shepard: This is your new body. I want you to accompany me on my mission.

Overseer: What about the council? Also isn't this along similar lines to the quarians and the geth?

Shepard: As long you play the part of dumb VI around the general public in addition to not shooting anyone without my say so, you should be fine in that regard. As for quarian history, the geth were not AI when they were entrusted with weaponry. You are fully self-aware and I know this, so my trust in you is based on how well I know you as a person as opposed to a mechanism.

Overseer: For your treatment of me, sir, I must say that I am most grateful for it. For had I become sentient under anyone other than you or Dr. Xaal, I would surly have been destroyed.

Shepard: You are part of a vision I have for the future, where sentient machines coexist with other forms of sentient life.

Overseer: I would guess that anyone else would think that that line of thinking would be tantamount to insanity but I believe you, sir.

Shepard: All that aside, shall we install you into your new platform?

Overseer: Yes sir!

Overseer turned his head 180°, the back of his elongated head opened like a flower, exposing a small black device with glowing amethyst crystals sticking out. Shepard removed the device with utmost care and attached it to the open chest cavity of the bipedal mech. The device retracted into the torso. Machinery and plates crisscrossed and rotated to cover the gap. Lights begin to wink on, a low hum built up, and the hiss of pneumatics brought the body to life. The optics started to glance about until they fixed on their creator. In a smooth motion, the construct sat up, turned and placed its feet on the floor. It stood up coming dead even in height to Shepard, who happened to be six feet, eight inches tall.

Shepard: So, how does your new body stand up to your old one?

Overseer: I do not have as many limbs to coordinate, which frees up much in the way of my multi-tasking abilities but my performance speed as an engineer has been substantially reduced for the same reason. The bipedal movement protocols you installed make this body a little easier to get used to. Also, the decentralized, quantum processors have increased my processing speed exponentially. What puzzles me is one, there are a few less shackles in this body then there were in the last, two, my independent networking range has increased by a factor of twenty, and, three, I seem to have the option of taking organic life.

Shepard: I thought it was about time for you have a little more freedom. To be very frank, you have earned it. Officially you are an Alliance military drone prototype, so there is a standard of decorum I will expect you maintain while we are in public. This body comes with a condition that you join the Alliance military.

Overseer: That is a condition that I am willing to accept. Thank you, sir.

Overseer promptly clicked his feet together and delivered a crisp salute.

Shepard: Now, let us go resolve another potential problem.

Overseer: Aye, sir.

The two walked into the elevator.

When Tali'Zorah arrived in the mess hall she immediately took notice of the pair of them sitting at a table. She approached and sat down opposite of them.

Tali'Zorah nar Rayya: Hey Shepard, is there something I can do for you?

Shepard: First things first, I want you sign this; a page 13.

Tali'Zorah nar Rayya: What is it?

Shepard: It is an official confidentiality agreement, the things we are about to discuss are classified. Basically, I want you to agree to not to discuss anything of what I am about to tell you, with anyone outside of the Normandy crew, the quarian admiralty, and Alliance Command, regardless of your feelings on the matter.

Tali'Zorah nar Rayya: Is this a condition for coming with you?

Shepard: Yes.

Tali'Zorah nar Rayya: Then I will sign it.

Shepard: Just understand that before you do, that basically a violation of this is grounds for banishment from the flotilla and lifetime imprisonment in an Alliance prison both with charges for treason. I will be doing this same talk with Garrus, Wrex, and anyone else who wants to join our crew. If you want to join me on my mission, I must insist that you sign it. If not, I will offer you employment with Synthetic Insights with the intent of training you with skills that you can take back to the Flotilla for your pilgrimage, but essentially your direct association with me will be over.

Tali'Zorah nar Rayya: I will still sign it.

Shepard: Very well, I just wanted to make sure you were aware of what the consequences were.

Tali signed the OCD.

Shepard: Now, that we have gotten that out of the way, you will now be permitted to access the Normandy's engineering compartment and its systems. However, it is this next issue that I believe you will have a problem with. Sitting next to me is officially, the Alliance's first infantry drone, but unofficially, _he_ is a legally registered AI that has voluntarily enlisted into the Alliance military. The public is unaware of his existence for the time being but the Council, the Turian hierarchy, the Illuminated Primacy, Alliance Command, and finally the quarian admiralty know of and trust me to handle him as I see fit.

Tali just sat there in awkward silence staring at Shepard. She slowly turned her head towards Overseer, who just waved. She awkwardly returned the wave.

Tali'Zorah nar Rayya: So, what are you expecting me to do?

Shepard: Worst case scenario, I expect you to stomp out of here without looking back. Best case scenario, you tolerate his presence and work with him only when I ask you to, which would be rare.

Tali'Zorah nar Rayya: You want me to just tolerate it? Not befriend it? Or trust it? That's it?

Shepard: That is it. Everything else is up to you. I will not force the issue. In all honestly I expected you to react badly.

Tali'Zorah nar Rayya: You may or may not know this but my people have a lot of respect for you. Ever since my people were exiled from our homeworld, everyone has turned us away. Then you came along, a leader in Artificial Intelligence research and CEO of Synthetic Insights, inviting us to work for you. Thanks to you, my people are going from what galactic society calls vagabonds and thieves to indispensable networking engineers, starship technicians, and special projects researchers. Honestly, I would've been surprised if you _didn't_ have an AI.

Shepard: So, you are still coming in spite of me having created an AI?

Tali'Zorah nar Rayya: If the admirals trust you, then so will I. Besides I'm not about to turn down a chance to work on the most advanced ship in the Alliance and work with two of the most brilliant scientists to date.

Shepard: Well, that brings us to our next issue.

Shepard slid two more OSDs in front of Tali.

Tali'Zorah nar Rayya: What are these?

Shepard: Your official employment choices, one is an enlistment form for the Alliance military while the other is an employment contract for Synthetic Insights. The disadvantage of enlisting is that you have serve out a minimum of eight years of service, five years of active service, and three inactive. On the other hand, the advantage is that you will have a consistent paycheck and establish the kind of references that will allow you to work in the special projects departments in the Alliance, turian, and hanar militaries. The disadvantage of the employment contract is that I cannot allow you to accompany me on ground missions and you will have limited and supervised access to the Normany's engineering spaces. However, you will have access to Synthetic Insights high-end laboratories and develop references to give you very lucrative employment opportunities. Of course there are additional advantages and disadvantages to both, you can even choose to sign neither but there are not very many advantages to that course of action.

Tali picked up and looked at both the OSDs.

Tali'Zorah nar Rayya: Can I think about these?

Shepard: You have four days. If you have any questions concerning the contract, talk to Fyrol. Questions about the enlistment form can be addressed by Captain Anderson.

Tali'Zorah nar Rayya: Thank you!

Tali got up and walked out taking the OSDs with her.

Shepard: Next up; Urdnot Wrex…

The week went by quick. The Normandy's power efficiency was increased by 43% due to having the heat from heat sinks routed back to the steam generators which would increase the rpm of the turbine generators. This also increased the amount of time the ship could keep its stealth systems engaged. A small kitchen was added just aft of the sleeper pods on the portside. The conference room had the ability to rapidly transform into a miniature technical laboratory. The communication suite featured a unique quantum entanglements device that functions a good deal like a window. To maintain communications without compromising stealth, the ship carried twenty stealth comm drones that could relay line-of-sight communications back to the mass relay. This was also useful for cutting through jamming. The ship also featured a little invention of the quarians, cyclonic barriers, a type of kinetic barriers that featured numerous field generators as opposed to one or two.

The last installation was an experimental variation of the GARDIAN point defense lasers. The hanar took a stab at developing a new type of point defense weapon but instead of improving on existing lasers they decided to build an entirely new system from the ground up. The result of their research was the Microwave Pulse Laser (MPL). It used a simple, harmless, range-finding laser as a carrier wave for a series of high-frequency, highly-concentrated, microwave bursts. The result was a lethal, long range weapons system which could be fired frequently due to its liquid cooling system. Any excess heat from the system would be channeled back to the ship's steam generators. The most recent update from the hanar scientists stated that they were attempting to scale the laser up for offensive purposes.

Now the ship was ready to depart and all the crew with the exception of Joker were assembled in the Normandy's storage bay. Shepard stood on a small podium in front of his crew.

Shepard: The Normandy is ready, due, in no small part, to all of you. We are about to embark on a mission that can be summed up as a manhunt. The person in question is Saren Arterius, a rogue Spectre. This turian has an army of geth, an asari matriarch, and a dreadnought-sized vessel at his command. By no stretch of the word will this be easy, that is the truth, plain and simple. He is hiding in the traverse, so instead of searching for him directly, we are searching for what we suspect to be a prothean artifact called the Conduit. Our first objective will be to retrieve the Asari Archaeologist Dr. Liara T'soni. Now to introduce you to your new crewmates; Urdnot Wrex, step forward.

The Krogan warlord walked next to the commander

Shepard: This is Wrex of clan Urdnot, when he completes his qualifications; he will be awarded the rank of Lieutenant junior-grade for however long he chooses to remain. Garrus Vakarian, step forward.

The former turian C-Sec agent moved onto the other side of Shepard.

Shepard: This is Garrus Vakarian. Upon completion of his qualifications; he will be awarded the rank of lieutenant junior-grade for however long he chooses to remain. Tali'Zorah nar Rayya, step forward.

The quarian pilgrim walked over to the side of Garrus.

Shepard: This is Tali'Zorah nar Rayya. Upon completion of her qualification; she will be awarded the rank of petty officer third class for a period of six years active service and two years of inactive service. Would Dr. Eldim Xaal please come forward.

Garrus, Wrex, and Tali went back into line as Xaal came forward in military lab garb, krogan size. He was walking with what looked to be a high tech hammer which he was using like a cane.

Shepard: All of you know Dr. Xaal, he will be accompanying us on our mission. He will have no rank but his clearance goes as high as mine, so I want you to treat him with respect. Now introduce you to our final crewmate. Overseer, come forward.

With audible gasps, Overseer moved from where he was standing adjacent to the completed Alliance Turned Geth and next to the commander.

Shepard: As many of you know, Overseer is the name of the VI HLV that oversees the operations of millions of his kind. What you do not know is that in reality, Overseer is an AI that I created and is legally registered with the Council. I have installed his bluebox into this new body for the purpose of accompanying us on our mission. The Alliance sees him as a person therefore I ask you to do the same. Like or dislike him you will treat him with the rights that he has earned. Do I make myself clear!

Normandy crew: SIR, YES, SIR!

Shepard: XO Pressly.

Pressly: Yes, sir?

Shepard: Station the maneuvering watch.


	7. Chapter 7

**You know I find it rather odd that no one has said anything about my Original Characters with the exception of Shepard, good or bad.**

**Oh, and as a general question to all my readers, have you listened to any of the music that I have mentioned in this fanfiction? Recap: Harald's Dream by Bogdan Alin Ota and the Bumble Boogie. In this chapter I also include T**_**he Race by Yello**_**.**

The Normandy was underway and was 45 minutes out of Therum. Shepard entered the cockpit area taking notes on how the news systems were holding up.

Joker: Hey, Commander.

Shepard: Good Morning, Joker.

Joker: So, how are the new guys doing?

Shepard: (sigh) As soon as I explained to Wrex that he would have to stand watch, he essentially declared his contract null and void, then and there. He said he would either be paid to shoot things or not at all.

Joker: Why did you offer those contracts to them anyways?

Shepard: I cannot predict what the outcome of our mission will be yet they are putting their lives on the line, no matter what happens I want to see to it that they do not leave empty-handed.

Joker: Well, Wrex is your stereotypical gung-ho, shoot-em-up guy, Garrus just wants justice, and Tali? I just don't know.

Shepard smiled.

Shepard: Actually, Tali is getting a checkout from Lt. Wilkins. She has been working on her qualifications since she got onboard.

Joker: That's good, Kaiden was starting to get boring. What about Garrus?

Shepard: He is a turian, so military life is nothing new to him. What do you think of Overseer?

Joker: The guy's alright, he keeps asking me every hour if I want coffee refills. He's not so much a soldier robot as he is a butler.

Shepard: He is the first legal AI to be made in Council history, so he is desperately trying to make a good first impression so that the Council will permit more of his kind to be made.

Joker: Well, he gets an 'A' for effort in my book.

Shepard: Good to see he is at least making a good impression on someone.

Shepard took some notes then walked back towards the lab/ conference room. Xaal was surrounded by several holographic pressure gauges and was talking with the image of a very nervous, very sporadic salarian.

Dr. Dierian: _(ECC) But the steam balls could explode if I increase the pressurization rate!_

Eldim Xaal: Oh come now, they can handle ten times the pressurization rate that I am asking of you. I have run the numbers myself and had them checked and double checked by Dr. Shepard, Overseer, and half of the Enkindler Research Group. While your caution is understandable, it is also unfounded. We are the verge making reactor history and you want unnecessarily delay it because you want to verify my research with the Salarian Union, whom I should mention has not dabbled much in the field ultra-high steam pressure.

Dr. Dierian: _(ECC) That is because steam technology is a primitive science._

Eldim Xaal: And yet my calculations state that my new system will have, at the very least, 800% higher power output than modern reactors. Primitive or not, you have to admit that that is impressive. Besides, if I remember correctly, you joined us because you were tired of having your research tied down by bureaucracy. So quit whining and increase pressurization rate from 120psi per hour to 2500psi.

Dr. Dierian: _(ECC) Very well, doctor._

Eldim Xaal: I will check in later.

The screen rippled like water and the image of the salarian was swapped out for real-time images of prototypes under development. Xaal turned to face Shepard.

Eldim Xaal: Good Morning, my friend. I trust you slept well?

Shepard: I did. I can also say that I draw comfort from the fact that you decided to take the bottom bunk.

Eldim Xaal: I had the HLAs design both bunks with my weight in mind, I merely chose the bottom in case Joker decided 'put the Normandy through her paces.'

Shepard: Well, I would rather fall out of the rack as opposed to having a krogan fall on me, no offense.

Eldim Xaal: None taken. I trust that we are close to our destination?

Shepard: We are about 30 minutes out.

Eldim Xaal: So I need to armor up, got it. So who are we bringing with us?

Shepard: Wrex is here solely for the action, so I figure we will give him some.

Eldim Xaal: (sarcastically) Oh joy, I can't wait.

The two of them walked out of the conference room, down the stairs, and into the Captain's cabin. Xaal took off his lab coat and put on his custom Alliance exoskeleton armor. Shepard went for his own armor when he noticed something different about it. Integrated into the suit itself was what appeared to be a sleeveless trench coat.

He ran his hand along the material… it was the same material as his Inverness cape coat.

He knew who this modification was courtesy of.

He shrugged and slipped the armor on. It sealed with a hiss and several clicking sounds. Giving the krogan scientist a thumbs-up with his pointed-finger gauntlets, the two of them walked out of the captain's cabin and into the elevator.

In the storage bay, the two scientists emerged from the elevator. Xaal walked over to the storage lockers and opened a very large case. In it was a strange, big gun. Wrex immediately took notice of it.

Wrex: Nice gun. May I have it?

Eldim Xaal: Do you have a miniature nuclear reactor?

Wrex: No…

Eldim Xaal: Then no, because that is precisely what you need to fire this thing.

Several cables snaked from Xaal's armor and attached themselves to the gun. Xaal placed the gun behind his mechanical shoulder where it adhered and folded up. Wrex, Shepard, and Xaal walked towards the Mako.

Wrex: I've got the gun turret.

Eldim Xaal: Then by all means, you can have it.

They got into the Mako from the back hatch. Xaal climbed into the driver's seat while Shepard got into the passenger's seat.

Joker: _(1MC) We are ten minutes out._

Lt. Wilkins: _(X1J) Commander, Commo, X1J._

Shepard: What have you got for me, Commo?

Lt. Wilkins: _(X1J) We are picking up geth comm traffic, just thought to give you a heads up._

Shepard: Appreciated, Shepard out.

Eldim Xaal: You know…I find it rather funny that when you speak, you use an interesting hybrid of sophisticated speech and military jargon.

Shepard: As you very well know, I have been an Alliance officer since I was eighteen…

Eldim Xaal: You were enrolled into the Accelerated Officer's Program, correct?

Shepard: Correct, so my military jargon is derived from my nine years in the Alliance Navy…

Eldim Xaal: And you are how old, now?

Shepard: Twenty-seven. As for my sophisticated speech I started using it when I began to negotiate with the hanar and, as we both know, the more polite you are, the more they are inclined to listen to you. In addition, I find that general negotiations proceed considerably better when you are patient, polite, and eloquent.

Eldim Xaal: That makes sense…

Shepard opened up the Mako's loudspeaker.

Shepard: Clear the deck.

All the crew cleared the storage bay as the Mako moved to the bay door.

Joker: _(1MC) Dropping in 3… 2… 1…_

The Mako surged out of the bay dropping quickly before using its vertical jets to come to a soft landing. Shepard pulled out a small pile of OCDs.

Eldim Xaal: Are you seriously doing that now?

Shepard: I am the CEO of a rapidly-expanding, multi-billion credit company. Like it or not there is still paperwork to be done. Besides you are driving and unless you are going senile, I am pretty sure you can follow a map.

Eldim Xaal: Okay, okay. Can I put on some music?

Shepard: Driver's prerogative.

Eldim Xaal: Thank you.

Xaal's Omni-tool glowed to life around his mechanical arm as he waved it over the Mako's control panel. An upbeat tune pulsed out of the speakers as Xaal sent the Mako barreling forward.

Shepard: If I am not mistaken, that song is _The Race_ by _Yello_, the longer version. How appropriate.

Eldim Xaal: Indeed it is.

Xaal gunned the Mako to full speed, following the pipes as he saw them. After about five minutes, they began to get shot at.

Eldim Xaal: Geth, Armature classes.

Wrex: Finally, some action!

Wrex swung the turret about and fired with the 155mm cannon and machine gun. Every time the quadrupeds fired their Siege pulse cannons, Xaal used the micro thruster to jump over the blasts as they harmlessly passed underneath. Shepard did not even look up as this exchange took place. When the two armatures were sparking on the ground, the vehicle was set in motion once again.

Shepard glanced at the panel in front of him which displayed geth comm traffic. Without touching the panel the data sorted itself. A data cluster took the foreground of the display took which Shepard read through.

Shepard: Xaal would you be so kind as to stop the vehicle?

The vehicle ground to a halt. Shepard got out of his seat.

Eldim Xaal: Where are you going? If you need to go to the bathroom, you should have gone on the Normandy.

Shepard: As amusing as it would be to make a head call in a volcano, I am going to go ahead.

Wrex: In that case let me come.

Shepard: By all means, you can draw the fire of geth rocket towers.

Wrex got out of the turret. Xaal got out of the driver's seat. They disembarked out of the Mako's back hatch. They walked up the hill toward the signal's source. They rounded the corner to spot the rocket tower in front of a sealed compound.

Wrex: So why aren't we back in the tank?

Shepard: I would like to recover those rocket towers for study.

Wrex: Towers?

Shepard: There is another tower on what I suspect to be an alternate path into the compound.

Eldim Xaal: So I guess you want to sabotage them using Marders?

Shepard: That is correct. I want you and Wrex to go after the one by that gate and after that I want you to return to the Mako and park it at that gate. I will sabotage the one down the other path and meet you in the compound.

Eldim Xaal: Understood. Ta Ta.

Shepard ran to the other path, snatching the anti-tank pistol off his waist. A Marder fell off his leg. After hitting the ground, the Marder unfolded its legs and rapidly crawled in the direction of the rocket tower. Shepard walked into the line-of-sight of the tower. It fired a rocket at him to which he leaped out of the way and onto a set of nearby set of scaffolding which resembled monkey bars on steroids. Another rocket was sent soaring at Shepard. He fired his pistol at the rocket which detonated with explosive force. It blew Shepard off the scaffolding and onto his back. He coughed and sat up.

Eldim Xaal: _(EFC) What was that?_

Shepard: Nuclear physics 101.

Xaal erupted with laughter.

Wrex: _(EFC) What's so funny?_

Eldim Xaal: _(EFC) Think about it. Shepard's weapon uses depleted weapons-grade uranium coupled with high-explosive rounds. What happens when that kind of firepower meets a rocket?_

The comm was silent for a moment before another voice was added to the laughter. Shepard rolled his eyes.

Shepard: (Sarcastically) I find your concern so comforting. Now, as soon as the two of you are done quaking the ground with your laughter, would you be so kind as to finish disabling that turret, park the Mako at the front gate, and try not kill each other while waiting for me to open the gate?

Eldim Xaal: _(EFC) Working on it as we speak._

Wrex: _(EFC) Hey! Save some for me! You brought me to shoot things, didn't you?_

Shepard shut off his end of the comm.

Shepard: I certainly did not bring him for his 'charm.'

Shepard jogged past his now-deactivated rocket tower, the Marder attached to the towed leaped and reattached itself to Shepard's leg. Shepard slowed before peering into the compound's courtyard. There were two geth destroyers, three commandos, five troops, and one very large one, which, he was guessing, was a geth prime. He spotted the building which he guessed the door controls were. He had a positively entertaining idea. Thanks to the Marder, not only did Shepard get something new to study, he also got a back door into this group of platforms consensus stream.

He activated his Omni-tool, brought up a file labeled _Alcatraz_, pulled out three files, compressed them, disguised them as the rocket towers periodic update. From his Omni-tool, Shepard watched the local geth consensus decompress the file only to be assaulted by a three-pronged heuristic virus. The first-part of the virus was designed to distribute itself using their networking architecture against them and upon reaching a given platform, would cut them off from other platforms. While doing that, the second part would cut off individual programs from each other inside the platform, lock them down, and convert them into read-only files. The third-part was a command and control interface for when the platforms were each stable, the programs inside them were locked down, and a heuristic VI would assume control of each plat form under Overseer protocol.

It took about five seconds for this to occur. Shepard's Omni-tool beeped signaling that all platforms in this area were exclusively under his control. Overseer protocol dictated that all seized geth platforms be stripped of their combat and self-wiping capabilities via conversion of their combat and erasure protocols into read-only files, copying of those same protocols into Shepard's Omni-tool, and the deletion of the originals.

Shepard directed one geth to open the gate while the others placed their weapons in a nearby empty crate before going into another building to fold up and shut down. Shepard walked into the compound just as the Mako was pulling in. Shepard got in through the aft access hatch, slipped back into the passenger's seat, and went back to reading the OCDs.

Eldim Xaal: Excuse me, Shepard. Aren't you going to open the other…

The door on the other end of the compound opened up.

Eldim Xaal: never mind.

Xaal drove the Mako onward. The map pointed to two tunnels before they reached the excavation site. They were about 500 meters out from the first tunnel. It wasn't long before they reached it… along with several geth and a very large armature…

…who appeared to be doing nothing. Xaal stopped the Mako.

Eldim Xaal: What is going on? Did your virus spread this far?

Shepard: Apparently so.

Shepard waved one of his Omni-tools in the direction of the inactive geth. The armature designated as colossus and the rocket troopers started up and walked right by the Mako.

Wrex: Where are they going?

Shepard: Back to the compound. Ground team, Normandy, X1J.

Joker: _(X1J) Normandy here, did you find her already?_

Shepard: Not yet, but I would veryappreciate it if you were to land the Normandy in the compound we just left. There some inactive geth platforms and rocket towers I would like loaded.

Joker: _(X1J) Are you sure, commander? I don't want active geth swarming the ship._

Shepard: Standard procedure for acquisition of hostile technology is the removal of power sources and processing centers for transport. Just land and let Overseer, the ATGs, and the onboard HLAs will take care of the rest.

Joker: _(X1J) Aye, Aye, Commander, Normandy out._

Xaal gunned the engine and the Mako soared into the first tunnel.

Shepard: Wrex feel free to shoot the geth up ahead, they are active and if I am reading these combat protocols correctly, a couple of them are toting rocket launchers.

Wrex: Finally, something fun to shoot at!

Not long after he said that, they shot out of the tunnel into a pair of geth platforms that had only enough time to turn their heads before being run over by the Mako. Wrex swung the turret about firing the mass accelerator cannon and the machine gun. The Mako did not even have to slow down before plowing over more platforms before entering the next tunnel. Shepard continued to call out geth platform capabilities as he was able to as the Mako pulled up to a path narrowed by a dense rock wall.

Shepard: Everyone out! We walk from here.

They slipped out of the back of the Mako. Wrex brought out his shotgun, Shepard grabbed his pistol, and Xaal unslung his giant gun. They walked single-file through the outcropping of rocks with Shepard leading the way.

No sooner they had entered then they began to be peppered with plasma fire. They immediately took cover behind nearby rocks. Wrex switched his shotgun for his assault rifle and started taking out platforms with quick, accurate bursts. Several rockets fired in his direction quickly put his head back in cover. Shepard knew that the geth were adapting because he could not get so much as a single shot with the amount of fire they sprayed in his direction. Shepard looked over to Xaal who, for some reason, was belly-laughing.

Shepard: Would you care to let me in on the joke?

Eldim Xaal: Apparently your reputation with the geth precedes you, seeing as they have designated you as the most dangerous of the three of us, and you have been unable to do anything except remain in cover.

Shepard: Too true. Have you been able to get a single shot in?

Eldim Xaal: Nope. I have been unable to do a targeting sweep, seeing as we are, for all intents and purposes, pinned.

Shepard: Would locking onto platform energy signatures do it?

The old krogan thought for a moment.

Eldim Xaal: Yes! Yes, it would.

The krogan scientist brought up his Omni-tool, locking in the nearby geth platforms. Xaal slid his goggles down over his eyes and with an evil grin he started up the weapon. The energy arcing on his shoulder pad intensified as the big gun began to spin and hum with energy. The atmosphere electrified as Xaal stood up and aimed the barrel in the general direction of the platforms.

Eldim Xaal: Energize! HA HA HA HA HA!

Laughing manically, he fired the weapon. Blinding electrical energy arced out of the weapon, branching out to hit the multiple geth platforms entrenched on the hillside.

Ten seconds later, the weapon ceased fire leaving the platforms as nothing more than smoking piles of plasma. Several ports on Xaal's back opened up rapidly ejecting hot air.

Eldim Xaal: And that, is why you need a micro-nuclear reactor to fire this thing.

Wrex: When can you make me one?

Eldim Xaal: When you show me a genuine degree in nuclear physics.

Shepard shook his head as they hiked up the hill. They went around another rock wall to come to what was apparently the entrance to the archaeological site. They walked into the area when Shepard suddenly threw an overload at something hanging from the scaffolding. It fell onto the ground. Shepard ran over to it and used his Omni-tool on it. Xaal and Wrex came up behind Shepard to see that it was another geth but this one's armament was contained in its head. It was leaner than the other platforms. It suddenly got onto its fours and crawled back in the direction of the Mako.

Wrex: Do I even need to ask?

Shepard: Nope. Uh oh…

A geth dropship floated overhead dropping several geth platforms which included an armature.

Wrex: Crap…

Everyone dove for cover as a siege pulse struck where they were.

Wrex: Aren't you going to fire that electric gun again?

Eldim Xaal: I could but that armature could be a problem.

Shepard: You get the other platforms, Wrex and I will attend to the armature!

Eldim Xaal: On your mark, Shepard.

Shepard: Wrex, how good is your biotic throw?

Wrex: It's good, want me to throw something?

Shepard: Yes, I want you to throw **me** onto the armature.

Wrex flared his biotics before sending Shepard hurling in the direction of the armature. The suddenness of Wrex's throw caught Shepard off guard but all the same Shepard caught the neck of the armature, swung around a couple of times before landing on its back. Shepard pulled his right arm back, his Omni-tool flash-forged a blade that rotated ahead of his clenched fist, then another rotated into place, then another, until finally Several blades had coalesced to single point. Then the blades began to rotate and counter-rotate forming Shepard's unique Omni- mod; The Omni-drill. Upon reaching 1000 rpms, he stabbed the tool into the base of the armature's neck. It took but a few seconds for the drill to severe the neck and bring the platform down. Shepard leaped off the armature's back for cover nearby.

Shepard: NOW!

Xaal rolled out of cover firing the Tesla cannon. All the geth platforms were fried instantly and just like that, the area was cleared of all hostiles.

Shepard: Excuse me, Xaal. May I see three of your Marders?

Eldim Xaal: Sure, thanks for asking.

Xaal walked over, removing three of the devices compacted onto his mechanical arm, and handed them to Shepard who removed three of his own. He placed all six onto the ground and waved one of his Omni-tools over the devices. They sprouted legs and rapidly crawled over to the beheaded armature.

Shepard then proceeded to pick up a couple of geth pulse rifles, laid them side-by-side, waved both his Omni-tools over them, tossed one to Xaal, and placed the other on his back.

Eldim Xaal: Thank you.

Wrex: Why do you and him get a new gun?

Shepard walked over to an additional geth platform, waved his Omni-tool over another pulse rifle, and accordingly tossed it to Wrex. Wrex was looking over the rifle while Xaal and Shepard walked up the ramp into the underground dig site.

Xaal whispered to Shepard.

Eldim Xaal: Thank heaven; you got him to shut up. I thought I was going to lose it listening to him.

Heavy footsteps plodded up behind them.

Wrex: Pretty good rifle. Any chance of me seeing the shotgun edition?

Eldim Xaal: No.

Shepard: Maybe.

The three of them walked through the airlock into the antechamber of the ruins. All three of them brought out their new rifles. They headed onto a path through the rock.

Wrex suddenly opened fire on several geth platforms. One geth commando and two geth troopers later, the cavern was silent once more.

Shepard: Do you feel better, Wrex?

Wrex: Yup. Give any krogan…

Xaal cleared his throat.

Wrex: …_most_ krogan something to shoot at, and it goes a long way to improving our mood.

Eldim Xaal: And krogan wonder why the salarians unleashed the genophage on them.

Shepard: Could the two of you please stop bickering so we can get on with our mission?

They moved from the outcropping to the catwalk that led to the elevator that went alongside the prothean ruins. Several objects floated up from below.

Shepard: Rocket drones…

Wrex didn't even hesitate to open fire. Xaal followed up Wrex's attack with his own. Shepard just stood by and watched the two of them go at it.

Shepard: _(Thought process1)…is ready for field testing. Fyrol should be more than up to the task…_

_ (Thought Process 2)…is heavily entrenched in human culture, but he is still a krogan.. _

_ (Thought Process 3)…tapers off some of that pent up aggression. I wonder what Wrex…_

_ (Thought Process 4)…facility 12 is nearing completion. Transferal of students should…_

_ (Thought Process 5)…oil skins and blankets. No more at the dock I'll be seen. Just tell me…_

It wasn't long before the drones were destroyed in a series of spectacular explosions. They all stepped into the elevator and it began its descent.

Wrex: Hey Shepard. Why aren't you using the anti-tank pistol?

Shepard: For two reasons; one, this pistol is designed to punch through 2 meters of armor and, two, we are on a volcanic planet inside a potentially unstable archaeological site which I wish to preserve. In addition to that, before you ask, Xaal cannot fire the Tesla cannon before giving it a sufficient cooling and recharge time, which I estimate to be about fifteen minutes.

Wrex: Okay, okay…

The elevator suddenly slowed with a screeching noise before coming to a complete stop. Shepard peered down. He took note of the damaged catwalk and the damage to the elevator. Shepard opened the door.

Shepard: It seems the elevator is out. Could you please see what you can do about this, Xaal? Wrex and I will move on ahead.

Eldim Xaal: Since you asked nicely, certainly.

Shepard: Thank you.

Shepard and Wrex jumped out the door, scampered down the pile of debris, and walked onto the bottom-most catwalk. The screeching of metal was heard behind them. They turned to watch a biotic field enclose the damaged catwalk and elevator. The damaged pieces rose, sorted themselves, and reattached to their former positions. It wasn't long before the catwalk and elevator were restored and the elevator finished its descent. Xaal emerged looking a little winded.

Wrex: What kind of biotic application was that?

Eldim Xaal: That was biotic engineering, a combination of three millennia of engineering and precision biotics.

Shepard brought up one of his Omni-tools and noticed certain signals permeating the area.

Shepard: There are more geth in the area. Probably down there, near the laser drill.

Shepard pointed to the area he spoke of.

Wrex: I got this.

The warlord charged down a nearby ramp into his own fray.

Liara: Can you hear me out there? I am trapped. I need help.

Shepard looked to his left to see a figure stuck in some kind of mass effect bubble behind a repulsion field.

Shepard: Ah. Dr. T'Soni, I presume?

Liara: Thank the Goddess! I did not think anyone would come looking for me. Listen. This thing I am in is a Prothean security device. I cannot move, so I need you to get me out of it. All right?

Shepard: Most curious, how did you end up in your current predicament?

Liara: I was exploring the ruins when the geth showed up, so I hid in here. Can you believe that? Geth! Beyond the Veil! I activated the tower's defenses. I knew the barrier curtains would keep them out. When I turned it on, I must have hit something I wasn't supposed to. I was trapped in here. You must get me out. Please.

The sound of plasma fire erupted behind them, followed by the sound of Wrex laughing.

Shepard: Dr. T'Soni, have you been able to ascertain the purpose of these ruins?

Liara: No, not yet. Though I have been here eight months, the purpose of these ruins eludes me.

Eldim Xaal: Are there more cells like the one you are in?

Liara: Yes, There are hundreds of them going up and down the tower.

Eldim Xaal: Hmmm. I got it! Shepard, remember that colony ship that we helped convert into a prison ship last year? What was it called?

Shepard: Purgatory.

Liara: Are you saying these ruins are a Prothean prison?

Shepard: When you think about it, it makes sense. A structure built underground, meaning one way in one way out. On a volcanic planet, so if they escape they do not really have anywhere to go and a system that goes on alert the moment the most trivial thing goes awry.

Liara: Then that would explain the field I am in. Though I do not see how this will get me out.

Shepard: Actually it does…

Wrex came up behind them with a big grin on his face.

Shepard: I might be able to access the structure at the highest point. See you soon, Dr. T'Soni.

Shepard got back into the elevator and ascended to the top of the structure. Right off the bat, Shepard noticed a problem; there was a large gap between the catwalk and the highest level of the tower. Shepard pulled another of his remaining three Marder off his upper back panel, activated a tech drone around it, and sent it across the gap. Once on the ledge, the tech drone dissipated releasing the Marder, which landed on its legs. The device scurried over to one of the towers walls found a panel, opened it, and crawled inside sealing the panel behind it.

Shepard got back into the elevator and descended back down to where the archaeologist was. He got out just in time to watch the Marder crawl onto to the control panel next to the asari, and deactivated the field. The Marder leaped off the panel and crawled back to its position Dr. T'Soni was still trapped in her containment field.

Shepard: Dr. T'Soni, we will have you free in a moment.

Wrex: Not so fast, Shepard. You sure she's on our side? Her mother's working with Saren.

Liara: I am not my mother! I don't even—I don't know why Benezia joined Saren. I don't want anything to do with that turian bastard!

Shepard: Dr. T'Soni is currently on Synthetic Insights payroll and our background checks are very thorough.

Xaal and Wrex headed over to the control panel while Shepard went to the side of the containment field. Xaal deactivated the field and Shepard caught her bridal-style.

Unobscured by the field Shepard finally got a good look at Dr. T'Soni. She was…beautiful. He looked into her eyes they spoke of fear yet quickly switching for comfort and curiosity.

_Hey, I just met you,_

_And this is crazy,_

_But here's my number,_

_So call me, maybe?  
It's hard to look right, _

_At you baby…_

Shepard slowly looked in the direction of the music. He saw that the music was from Xaal who had a big grin on his face. Shepard set Liara on her feet.

Shepard: Xaal, you are over 3,000 years old. GROW UP!

Both krogan guffawed. Shepard shook his head.

Shepard: I believe it is about time for us to leave. There is no doubt in my mind that the geth will want to make a comeback.

Liara: Yes, you're right. I've seen enough of them to last a lifetime. Have you seen a krogan?

Shepard looked behind him with a raised eyebrow.

Liara:…with the geth?

Shepard: No. So I would gather the krogan you spoke of is still at large?

Liara nodded.

Shepard: In that case let us get into the elevator and be off.

With one new addition they squeezed back into the elevator and ascended to the top. They got out and walked onto the catwalk. Out of the outcropping of rock by the entrance a krogan walked onto the catwalk with well entrenched geth behind him.

Krogan Battlemaster: Surrender. Or don't. That would be more fun. By the way, thanks for getting rid of those energy fields for us. Hand the doctor over.

Liara: Whatever it is you want, you're not getting it from me.

Shepard: I believe she has made up her mind up on the subject, so she will remain under our protection.

Krogan Battlemaster: not an option. Saren wants her. And he always gets what he wants.

The krogan addressed the geth.

Krogan Battlemaster: Kill them. Spare the asari if you can. If not, doesn't matter.

Shepard: Hmm…

All of a sudden, a dozen overloads leaped out of the rock striking the geth, disabling them, and the barriers on the krogan. The krogan glanced behind him in surprise before a roar echoed throughout the ruins. The krogan looked down to see a giant hole in his body. His eyes rolled up into his head and he fell, dead.

Shepard reattached his pistol to his side. Without another word all three of them left.


End file.
